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Be Smart.

Joe Hanson

We give you deep answers to simple questions about science and the rest of the universe. And also dad jokes. Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, PhD. He's a molecular biologist and an award-winning science communicator and journalist

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  • 375 episodes
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  • October 16 · 13 min

    What's the Largest Living Thing On Earth?

    Check out American Veteran on @pbsvoices ►► https://youtu.be/P8bt1bwllZg We’re on PATREON! Join the community https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Uploaded 06-11-21 The biggest thing that has ever lived on Earth… is a tree? Hard to believe, but it’s true. Travel with me to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to go inside a giant aspen clone, the most massive species on our planet, and learn what unique and special evolutionary adaptations let them get so big. Thanks to Dr. Jeffry B. Mitton (UC-Boulder) for sharing his years of research into giant quaking aspens and for telling us where to go see such pretty fall colors References: Mitton, J. B. and Grant, M. C. Observations on the Ecology and Evolution of Quaking Aspen, Populus tremuloides, in the Colorado Front Range. 9 (2021). Mitton, J. B. and Grant, M. C. Genetic Variation and the Natural History of Quaking Aspen. BioScience 46, 25–31 (1996). Grant, M. C., Mitton, J. B. and Linhart, Yan. B. Even larger organisms. Nature 360, 216–216 (1992). ----------- Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons: Barbora Bei Ken Board T Clinger Attila Pix Burt Humburg DeliciousKashmiri Brian Chang Roy Lasris dani bowman David Johnston Salih Arslan Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Amy Sowada Eric Meer Dustin Karen Haskell AlecZero Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 11 min

    Are We Living Through the Sixth Extinction?

    This time, we're the asteroid. Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Read "The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert: http://amzn.to/1xGKn0K Rodolfo Dirzo et al. "Defaunation in the Anthropocene" http://bit.ly/1H7JQdw Stuart Pimm et al. "Biodiversity of Species and Their Rates of Extinction" http://bit.ly/1A5UZJM Get to know an endangered species: http://discover.iucnredlist.org/ Half of world's wildlife has died off in past 40 years: http://bit.ly/1BHl8jR Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host/Writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics Dalton Allen - Post-production intern John Knudsen - Gaffer Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images by Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 16 min

    Why Soap Is Our Secret Weapon Against Germs

    PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Uploaded 25-03-20 We’re on PATREON now! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub One of the most effective things you can do to protect yourself from catching a germ and becoming a statistic, whether it’s a global pandemic like COVID-19 or just every single other day of your life, is something that people have been trying to get you to do since you were like 2. Wash your hands. With good ol’ soap. And do it the right way. That’s it. Here’s the science of handwashing! CDC handwashing guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html How to extract your own cheek cell DNA at home: https://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/assets/educators/learning_labs/documents/See_Your_Own_DNA_Lesson.pdf Lucy Knisley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9mFKfFgbQW/ Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons: AlecZero Oliver and Arden Bradshaw Brent M. Diego Lombeida Dustin Ernesto Silva George Gladding Marcus Tuepker Ron Kakar vincbis ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 7 min

    Why Do Things Sound Creepy?

    PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Why are sounds scary? They're just vibrations. Blame your brain! Click here to SUBSCRIBE, it's FREE! http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Enter a dimension of sound, science, and fearMusic by Podington Bear http://podingtonbear.com/ References and more: What's That Buzz? http://www.youtube.com/user/BuzzMoranSFX Seth Horowitz - The Universal Sense http://amzn.to/19Nd4NC Vsauce "You Live In The Past": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTOODPf-iuc ASAPScience "Can You Trust Your Eyes?": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZflIMBxyIak It's Okay To Be Smart "Pay Attention!": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-PvAZq3jW4 Kyle Hill - The Animals Hiding in a T. rex's Roar: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/04/10/the-animals-hiding-in-a-t-rexs-roar/ Daniel Blumstein - Film soundtracks and nonlinear sounds: http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2010/05/20/rsbl.2010.0333.full Oskar Sala - Crow attack from The Birds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hplpQt424Ls Krzysztof Pendercki - "Utrenja" from The Shining http://youtu.be/O8Vuf5lzV3E Bernard Herrmann - "Prelude/Radar" from The Day The Earth Stood Still http://youtu.be/3ULhiVqeF5U Written and hosted by Joe Hanson Special thanks to KLRU for help with this episode PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 9 min

    Is Height Genetic?

    I'm tall. Here's why! Make watching our videos a habit and SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Uploaded 18-09-18 I’m tall. Most of the people in my family are tall. Does that mean my son will be tall? Turns out the inheritance of height is a lot more complicated than we thought. Scientists know that nature (genes) and nurture (environment) both play a role, but after more than a century of questions, we’re only just now starting to get some answers REFERENCES: Fryar, C.D. et al. (2016). Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, 2011–2014. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 3(39). NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. (2016). A century of trends in adult human height. eLife 5:e13410. Visscher, P.M. et al. (2007). Genome partitioning of genetic variation for height from 11,214 sibling pairs. American Journal of Human Genetics 81:1104–10. Zimmer, C. (2018). She has her mother’s laugh: The powers, perversions, and potential of heredity. New York: Dutton. http://bit.ly/2xi5H0M ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter: @DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Maria Ter-Mikaelian Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Matt Fultz Producers: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 29 min

    The Surprising Species That Everything Else Depends On | IN OUR NATURE

    “In Our Nature” is a NEW special limited series on It’s Okay To Be Smart! SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss the next episode! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Uploaded 08-07-21 Seemingly distant ecosystems, even half a world apart, are connected in surprising ways. In this special limited series, Emily Graslie and Trace Dominguez join me as we explore the universal rules of life that tie together Earth’s living systems. In episode 1, we travel from Africa’s Serengeti plains to the nearly extinct prairies of the western United States to discover the unexpected species that determine the very existence of these places. Can an ecosystem survive without its keystone species? And can we restore endangered human cultures by bringing back a nearly-extinct ecosystem? Co-hosted by: Trace Dominguez @TraceDominguez Emily Graslie @EmilyGraslie References: https://sites.google.com/view/inournature-ep1-references/home In Our Nature is a special miniseries produced by It’s Okay To Be Smart for PBS. Stay tuned for more episodes coming this summer, here on our YouTube channel! Original Production Funding provided by: Anne Ray Foundation, a Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropy ----------- We’re on PATREON! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons: DeliciousKashmiri Mario Orso Brian Chang Roy Lasris Javier Soto dani bowman David Johnston Zenimal Salih Arslan Baerbel Winkler Robert Young Amy Sowada Benjamin Teinby Eric Meer Peter Ehrnstrom Dustin Marcus Tuepker Karen Haskell AlecZero Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 16 min

    COVID-19 & Mask Myths DEBUNKED!

    PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Uploaded 23-07-20 We're on PATREON! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Bottom line: Masks work. They are safe for almost everyone to wear, and the more people that wear them along with adhering to physical distancing and other strategies, then that's more lives we'll save. But there's still a lot of confusion and misinformation out there when it comes both to wearing masks and the actual risks of getting infected with COVID-19. In this video, I address a few of the most common myths and misunderstandings using scientific evidence. #WearAMask 00:00 Introduction 00:46 Myth 1: Farts vs. viral particles 02:20 Myth 2: Cloth masks can't stop viruses 03:25 Myth 3: Oxygen deprivation/CO2 poisoning 05:40 Myth 4: Toxins 06:41 Myth 5: I feel healthy so I don't need a mask 07:51 Myth 6: Masks aren't 100% effective, so why wear one? 08:34 Mask-wearing history 09:25 Myth 7: Government mask exemptions 10:24 Myth 8: COVID isn't a big deal 12:09 Conclusion Watch our previous video about masks: https://youtu.be/0Tp0zB904Mc Our entire COVID-19 playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsmqeqKj7M-pvu23aAUn6gtvDZAymnZ0K References: https://sites.google.com/view/covid-mask-myths-references/home Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons: AlecZero Diego Lombeida Dustin Ernesto Silva George Gladding Jay Stephens Marcus Tuepker Megan K Bradshaw Peter Ehrnstrom Ron Kakar Robert Young vincbis Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 7 min

    The Far Tomorrow of the Universe

    PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ SPOILERS: It doesn't end well. Special thanks to Ethan Siegel and Sean Carroll for help with this episode: http://preposterousuniverse.com/ https://medium.com/starts-with-a-bang/ More interesting things that will happen in the future: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140105-timeline-of-the-far-future This episode was a part of a collaboration with several other PBS Digital Studios shows, all talking about THE FUTURE!! Check out the other episodes! Learn about the Collab Here: http://youtu.be/ygmD5lz6rd8 Idea Channel: The Future of Fandoms http://youtu.be/eJ3EBR1hlbI Game/Show: The Future of Games http://youtu.be/oON6S4fXS4k Crafts For Kids: DIY Robot Masks http://youtu.be/PtETQ_aIz8s Indie Alaska: Augmented Reality http://youtu.be/8Elu87SfL98 Bon Appétempt: Post-Apocalyptic Pantry Cooking http://youtu.be/xzsyop6XZn8 Shanks FX: Holograms http://youtu.be/P8Uj9uHgCQY Makin' Friends With Ryan Miller: Bruce Duncan and Bina48 http://youtu.be/3e-JuaSc7B0 24 Frames: The Future: 3D Printing http://youtu.be/l__1P1PCGZM Coma Niddy: Future Rap http://youtu.be/OUpPaEZHITI BBQ With Franklin: The Future of BBQ http://youtu.be/gbR7Tu2TqKk Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 7 min

    Spit: Everything You Never Sought To Know

    Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Warning: May contain the “m-word”… Tweet this video ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSspit Share on FB ⇒ http://bit.ly/OKTBSspitFB ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Get yourself an awesome IOTBS shirt! http://dftba.com/besmart References/further reading: “Gulp” by Mary Roach: A great read about the odd science of the digestive system http://amzn.to/1U4i2N7 (Public library: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/811599508) Carpenter, Guy H. "The secretion, components, and properties of saliva."Annual review of food science and technology 4 (2013): 267-276. Perry, George H., et al. "Diet and the evolution of human amylase gene copy number variation." Nature genetics 39.10 (2007): 1256-1260. ---- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment or check us out at the links below! Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/okaytobesmart http://twitter.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/jtotheizzoe Follow on Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is written and hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Produced by PBS Digital Studios: http://www.youtube.com/user/pbsdigitalstudios Music via APM Stock images from SciencePhoto http://www.sciencephoto.com/ and Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Stock footage from Videoblocks (unless otherwise noted) http://www.videoblocks.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 5 min

    The Science of GOAT!

    Yep. Goats! ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Who are those people in the intro? Say hi to Joe Nicolosi (director) and Katie Graham (camera)! Goat field of vision: http://blogs.lifeandscience.org/keepers/tag/pupil/ Goat pupil shape: http://www.journalofvision.org/content/13/9/607.short Radiolab story about a goat on a cow: http://www.radiolab.org/story/224292-behind-goat/ "Fainting goat" syndrome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myotonia_congenita Goats have "accents": http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2012/02/16/study-goats-have-accents.html Goat tastebuds: http://bit.ly/1zFxhiY Goat diet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goat#Diet How goats climb so well: http://www.asknature.org/strategy/719058a39eea5af7f763bacda7c64ab4#.U_KPLbxdWm8 Billy Whiskers: http://www.childrensbooksonline.org/Billy_Whiskers/pages/001_Billy_Whiskers.htm In case you're curious, the star cluster in the thumbnail is Messier 30, which is in the Capricorn constellation, because goats. Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Camera Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen/Philip Sheldon Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 13 min

    The Weird Reason Plants Aren't Black

    PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Uploaded 25-10-19 We’re on PATREON now! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Why are trees and other plants green? Seems like a simple question. But the answer is full of surprises. Using a special camera that can pick up light just beyond the visible range, into the near-infrared, you’ll get to see trees like you’ve never seen them before. And these other-worldly images can teach us not only why trees are green on Earth, but what color photosynthetic life on other planets might be. #TeamTrees References: https://sites.google.com/view/treesonotherplanets-references/home Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons: AlecZero Bob Rosset Brent M. Diego Lombeida ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 16 · 18 min

    Why Are There 7 Days In a Week? EXPLAINED

    PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Uploaded 09-11-20 We’re on PATREON! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Why does everyone use a 7 day week, and where did it come from? Where do the names of the days come from? And who can we blame for Mondays? Here’s the true story of one of the oldest human customs still in use today. It gets a little weird. References: https://sites.google.com/view/references-why-are-there-7-day/home Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons: AlecZero Amy Sowada Baerbel Winkler Benjamin Teinby Denzel Holmes Diego Lombeida Dustin Eric Meer George Gladding Jay Stephens Karen Haskell Marcus Tuepker Oliver and Arden Bradshaw Peter Ehrnstrom Robert Young Salih Arslan Vincbis Zenimal Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 14 · 12 min

    How Your Memory Works

    To learn more about Brilliant, go to https://brilliant.org/BeSmart/ and sign up for free. First 200 people will get 20% off the annual Premium subscription. ↓↓↓ More info and sources below ↓↓↓ Uploaded 01-05-18 How does memory work? And how does… un-memory work? Our brain does a lot of remembering and forgetting every day, so you should probably make room for som info on how it works. You’ll also get to meet some people who can’t make memories, and also never forget anything. References: http://bit.ly/2rdFW0O ----------- FOLLOW US: Twitter:@DrJoeHanson @okaytobesmart Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart SEND US STUFF: It’s Okay To Be Smart PO Box 303356 Austin, TX 78703 USA BOOKS WE’VE FEATURED: http://smart-books.tumblr.com/ ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Maria Ter-Mikaelian Creative Director: David Schulte Editor/animator: Karl Boettcher and Derek Borsheim Producers: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 14 · 11 min

    How Well Do Masks Work? (Schlieren Imaging In Slow Motion!)

    PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ Uploaded 04-07-20 We're on PATREON! Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a video! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Wearing a mask is a cheap and easy way to help stop the spread of airborne infections like COVID-19. It's also a sign that you want to help protect other people and have them protect you… that we're all in this together. Here are some awesome slow-motion schlieren imaging experiments to demonstrate why masks work! Share with someone who needs to see this. References: https://sites.google.com/view/why-masks-work-references/home Special thanks: Matthew Staymates - National Institute of Standards and Technology Dr. Richard Davis - Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center (https://twitter.com/richdavisphd/status/1276629360212979712) Derek Muller - @Veritasium (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tgOyU34D44) David McRaney - You Are Not So Smart https://youarenotsosmart.com/ Special thanks to our Brain Trust Patrons: AlecZero Diego Lombeida Dustin Ernesto Silva George Gladding Jay Stephens Marcus Tuepker Megan K Bradshaw Peter Ehrnstrom Ron Kakar vincbis Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • October 14 · 5 min

    Why Do These Deadly Insects Look Like Flowers?

    This video is perfect for adults orchids. Join the community ►► https://www.patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Uploaded 11-07-17 PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Many creatures wear disguises in order to keep safe from predators, but there are some that dress to kill. Orchid mantises are one of nature’s most awesome examples of aggressive mimicry. These killer insects are almost indistinguishable from orchids! Scientists recently learned that their disguise doesn’t work quite how we thought it did. Special thanks to YouTuber Fruchtpudding for letting us use their awesome orchid mantis hunting footage! https://www.youtube.com/user/Fruchtpudding ----------- READ MORE: O’Hanlon, J. C. (2016). Orchid mantis. Current Biology, 26(4), R145-R146. O’Hanlon, J. C., Holwell, G. I., and Herberstein, M. E. (2013). Pollinator deception in the orchid mantis. The American Naturalist, 183(1), 126-132. O’Hanlon, J. C., Herberstein, M. E., and Holwell, G. I. (2014). Habitat selection in a deceptive predator: maximizing resource availability and signal efficacy. Behavioral Ecology, 26(1), 194-199. ----------- FOLLOW US: Merch: https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter: @okaytobesmart @DrJoeHanson Tumblr: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Instagram: @DrJoeHanson Snapchat: YoDrJoe ----------- It’s Okay To Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, Ph.D. Director: Joe Nicolosi Writer: Sarah Keartes Producer/editor/animator: Andrew Matthews Producer: Stephanie Noone and Amanda Fox Produced by PBS Digital Studios Music via APM Stock images from Shutterstock http://www.shutterstock.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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