Instant Egghead

Is the world spinning, and you don't know why? Scientific American MIND editor Ingrid Wickelgren explains how your inner ear can throw you off balance. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Written & presented by Ingrid Wickelgren Production assistants: Kathryn Free & William Herkewitz Produced & edited by Eric R. Olson

It's the classic party prank: smack your beer bottle on top of someone else's and watch as their bottle wells over with a seemingly endless river of foam. As it turns out, the prank has some interesting physics behind it. Scientific American editor Michael Moyer explains. More to explore: Why does a beer bottle foam up after a sudden impact on its mouth? http://arxiv.org/abs/1310.3747 -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Video credits: Edited by Kathryn Free and Eric R. Olson Produced by Eric R. Olson

Whatever your beliefs, most people seem to agree that the body left behind when we depart this mortal coil is just a heap of bones and flesh. But what happens to those leftovers? Assuming that nature is left to its own devices, our bodies undergo a fairly standard process of decomposition that can take anywhere from two weeks to two years. More to explore: Dust to Dust: The Brief, Eventful Afterlife of a Human Corpse http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dust-to-dust/?WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- Please visit our website to discover the latest advances in science and technology: http://bit.ly/30Z4ZpZ Discover world-changing science with a subscription to Scientific American. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2RtR1cs

As legend it has it, finding a four-leaf clover is supposed to be a sign of good luck. If we put our collective scientific knowledge to the task, however, we stand a better chance of finding a lucky charm. Scientific American editor Eric R. Olson explains.  USDA Plant Fact Sheet for White Clover http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_trre3.pdf The Odds of Finding a Four-Leaf Clover Revisited: How Do Some People Find So Many?! http://blog.minitab.com/blog/adventures-in-statistics/the-odds-of-finding-a-four-leaf-clover-revisited-how-do-some-people-find-so-many What Can You See in a Single Glance and How Might This Guide Visual Search in Medical Images? http://search.bwh.harvard.edu/new/pubs/drew_2013_Radiographics.pdf -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Anyone that's chopped into an onion is familiar with the noxious fumes and irritating pain induced by an otherwise delicious vegetable. Scientific American editor Ferris Jabr explains how this bulbous member of the allium genus can bring us to tears. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Video credits: Written & presented by Ferris Jabr Edited by Kathryn Free Produced by Eric R. Olson Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/DgDH/

We take for granted that we exist as 3D beings in a 3D universe, but physicists suggest that our world is just the projection of a reality written in 2D. Scientific American editor Michael Moyer explains. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Video credits: Written & presented by Michael Moyer Production assistants: Kathryn Free & William Herkewitz Produced by Eric R. Olson Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/DgDI/

Our love affair with chocolate is nothing new, but in recent years scientists have tried to uncover the source of our cocoa cravings. Scientific American editor Dina Fine Maron digs through the available evidence, looking for a morsel of truth. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Video credits: Written & presented by Dine Fine Maron Production assistant: William Herkewitz Edited by Kathryn Free & Eric R. Olson Produced by Eric R. Olson Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/DgDF/

Every week brings us news of another website taken out by hackers or even foreign governments. At the heart of all this digital mischief is the denial of service attack, which floods websites with fake requests. Scientific American tech editor Larry Greenemeier show us how it works. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Video credits: Written & presented by Larry Greenemeier Production assistant: Joss Fong Produced & edited by Eric R. Olson Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/DgDE/

Why do the number of spirals in a sunflower match up with the integers 34, 55, 89 and 144 -- numbers found in the famous Fibonacci Sequence? Scientific American editor John Matson explains. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- More to explore: What Is the Fibonacci Sequence? http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-fibonacci-sequence/?WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Turing's Sunflowers http://www.scientificamerican.com/citizen-science/turings-sunflowers/?WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- Video credits: Written & presented by John Matson Motion design by Joss Fong Produced & edited by Eric R. Olson Help us caption & translate this video! http://amara.org/v/DgDC/

With an estimated 70 oil spills every day in the U.S. and tons of plastic garbage littering our oceans, humans could really use some help cleaning up. Scientific American editor David Biello explains how bacteria and other microbes slowly consume our mess. More to explore: How Going with the Flow Helped Microbes Eat BP's Oil Spill (Scientific American) http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/01/09/how-going-with-the-flow-helped-microbes-eat-bps-oil-spill/?WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Meet the Microbes Eating the Gulf Oil Spill [Slide Show] (Scientific American) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=gulf-oil-eating-microbes-slide-show&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Marine Microbes Digest Plastic (Nature news) http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110328/full/news.2011.191.html -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Credits: Written & presented by David Biello Edited by Joss Fong Produced by Eric R. Olson

Biologist Richard Dawkins coined the phrase "the selfish gene" with his best-selling book of the same name. "Selfish", however, was an unfortunate word choice because genes lack a will and can actually drive altruism. Scientific American editor Eric R. Olson explains. More to explore: Selfish Genes Also Must Cooperate (Scientific American Blog Network) http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2013/06/12/selfish-genes-also-must-cooperate/?WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Why We Help the Evolution of Cooperation [Preview] (Scientific American) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-we-help-evolution-cooperation&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

A 1967 United Nations treaty states that outer space isn't up for grabs.This hasn't stopped at least one entrepreneur from selling land on our closest celestial neighbors. Scientific American editor Clara Moskowitz explains. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- More to explore: Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (United Nations) http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/SpaceLaw/outerspt.html Dennis M. Hope Has Owned the Moon Since 1980 Because He Says So (VICE) http://www.vice.com/read/ive-owned-the-moon-since-1980 -- Credits: Written & presented by Clara Moskowitz Edited by Joss Fong Produced by Eric R. Olson

We spend nearly a third of our lives asleep, but scientists don't agree on sleep's purpose. Scientific American contributor Joss Fong explains what we know, and don't know, about our nightly slumber. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- More to explore: A Night's Sleep Cleans Brain of Harmful Toxins (LiveScience) http://www.livescience.com/40510-sleep-cleans-brain-harmful-toxins.html Sleep Is The Brain's Way of Staying in Balance [Video] (Scientific American) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=sleep-brains-way-staying-balance-video-giulio-tononi&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Is Sleep Essential? (PLoS Biology) http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.0060216 Sleep 2009 Interview with Jerome Siegel (The Science Network) http://thesciencenetwork.org/programs/sleep-2009/jerome-siegel Why Does My Brain Sleep? - Matthew P. Walker (GoogleTechTalks) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51e2NEmuI7I -- Credits: Written & presented by Joss Fong Edited by Joss Fong Produced by Eric R. Olson

Meditation can sharpen attention, strengthen memory and improve other mental abilities. Scientific American editor Ferris Jabr examines the changes in brain structure behind some of these benefits. -- Please visit our website to discover the latest advances in science and technology: http://bit.ly/30Z4ZpZ Discover world-changing science with a subscription to Scientific American. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2RtR1cs -- More to explore: Does mindfulness training improve cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings. [Preview] (Clinical Psychology Review) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21183265 Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice (PNAS) http://www.pnas.org/content/101/46/16369.long Evidence builds that meditation strengthens the brain, UCLA researchers say (UCLA) http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/evidence-builds-that-meditation-230237.aspx The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: Larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter (PMC) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184843/ Age effects on gray matter volume and attentional performance in Zen meditation (Neurobiology of Aging) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197458007002436 Age effects on attentional blink performance in meditation [Preview](Conciousness and Cognition) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053810009000828 Mental Training Affects Distribution of Limited Brain Resources (PLOS Biology) http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.0050138 The American Psychological Association on the benefits of mindfulness http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner.aspx -- Credits: Written & presented by Ferris Jabr Line art by Scott Brundage & Eric R. Olson Production assistant: Joss Fong Produced & edted by Eric R. Olson

Lifelike robots and animations can elicit a response that's somewhere between uncomfortable and creeped out. Scientific American editor Larry Greenemeier explains why. More to explore: What Should a Robot Look Like? (Scientific American) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-should-a-robot-look-like&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Is the Uncanny Valley Real? (BBC Future) http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130901-is-the-uncanny-valley-real Translation of Masahiro Mori's 1970 paper (IEEE Spectrum) http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/humanoids/the-uncanny-valley -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Credits: Written & presented by Larry Greenemeier Edited by Joss Fong Produced by Eric R. Olson

Contagious yawning can be annoying, but it might also be a sign of good social skills. It's a type of emotional contagion, a phenomenon in which we tend to share the feelings of people around us. Scientific American MIND editor Sandra Upson explains. More to explore: Ingroup-Outgroup Bias in Contagious Yawning by Chimpanzees Supports Link to Empathy (PLOS One) http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0018283 -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH -- Credits: Written & presented by Sandra Upson Production assistant: Joss Fong Produced & edited by Eric R. Olson

Scientific American editor Mark Fischetti explains how the leaves of deciduous trees perform their annual chameleon act, changing from various shades of green to hues of bronze, orange and brilliant red. More to explore: Bring Science Home: Experiment on autumn leaves at home http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=bring-science-home-leaf-colors&WT.mc_id=SA_spacelab_meta How do super-tall trees get water from their roots to their leaves? http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-do-large-trees-such-a&WT.mc_id=SA_spacelab_meta -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

At the heart of quantum mechanics is a mysterious equation known as the wave function. It helps explain the behavior of elementary particles, but also challenges the notion that there's only one reality. Scientific American editor Michael Moyer explains. More to explore: Bringing Schrödinger's Cat to Life (Scientific American) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=bringing-schrodingers-quantum-cat-to-life&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Can Quantum Bayesianism Fix the Paradoxes of Quantum Mechanics? [Preview] (Scientific American) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=can-quantum-beyesnism-fix-paradoxes-quantum-mechanics&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

With sensitive instruments and some creative translations, astronomers can derive the sounds of a silent universe. Scientific American contributor Sophie Bushwick explains. -- More to explore: NASA Spacecraft Records 'Earthsong' (NASA) http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/28sep_earthsong/ Thomas Ashcraft - Heliotown http://www.heliotown.com/Table_of_Contents.html John G. Cramer - The Sound of the Big Bang http://faculty.washington.edu/jcramer/BBSound.html -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Vaccinating most of a population can provide fringe benefits for all. Why do your neighbor's vaccinations help make you safer from infection? SA's Dina Fine Maron takes a look at the concept of "herd immunity" and how it helps keep outbreaks at bay. More to explore: Community Immunity (NIAID) http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/pages/communityimmunity.aspx Concepts of Herd Protection & Immunity [Pdf] (WHO) http://www.who.int/vaccine_research/documents/WHE_Smith_presentation.pdf -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Typical calorie counts ignore how we cook and process food, how gut bacteria interact with food and the overall complexity of human digestion. Scientific American editor Ferris Jabr explains. More to explore: Science Reveals Why Calorie Counts Are All Wrong [Preview] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=science-reveals-why-calorie-counts-are-all-wrong&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

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Genetically modified foods have been demonized in recent years by health advocates and environmentalists alike. If we look at the history of food cultivation, however, it is apparent we've been eating them all along. Scientific American editor Eric R. Olson explains. -- Please visit our website to discover the latest advances in science and technology: http://bit.ly/30Z4ZpZ Discover world-changing science with a subscription to Scientific American. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2RtR1cs -- More to explore: The Truth About Genetically Modified Food [Preview] (Scientific American) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-truth-about-genetically-modified-food&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta The Evolution of Corn (University of Utah) http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/variation/corn/ Labeling of Bioengineered Foods[PDF] (AMA) http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/csaph/a12-csaph2-bioengineeredfoods.pdf AAAS Board of Directors: Legally Mandating GM Food Labels Could "Mislead and Falsely Alarm Consumers" http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2012/1025gm_statement.shtml 20 Question on Genetically Modified Foods (WHO) http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/ Test Tube Tomato [Video] (New York Times) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv5TlkAN3z8&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLbT8q_Cig_wsjQ6bN1oBKkrkJ6oFiskDE

A chemical reaction discovered by French chemist Louis Camille Maillard (1878-1936) is responsible for the delicious flavors present in everything from baked bread to steak. Scientific American's Michael Moyer gives us a bite-size explanation. More to explore: Why Does Food Taste Delicious http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-does-food-taste-so-delicious&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Case for (Very) Early Cooking Heats Up [Preview] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=case-for-very-early-cooking-heats-up&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

We learn early not to drink juice after brushing our teeth. But it isn't just the mix of citrus and mint. The chemicals in toothpaste make your tongue more sensitive to bitter flavors ordinarily not detected in the juice. More to explore: The Flavor Connection [Interactive] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=flavor-connection-taste-map-interactive&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news: http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Contributing editor George Musser explains how physicists think about the universe using the fundamental concept of "the field". -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Angry Birds, one of the most popular mobile games, is pretty simple: you use a slingshot to fling outraged birds at the fortresses of greedy green pigs. So why do we play for hours on end? Scientific American editor Ferris Jabr takes a look from the inside out. More to explore: How I kicked my addiction to the iPhone game Angry Birds http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/world-wide-mind/201101/how-i-kicked-my-addiction-the-iphone-game-angry-birds Why Angry Birds is so successful and popular: a cognitive teardown of the user experience http://www.mauronewmedia.com/blog/why-angry-birds-is-so-successful-a-cognitive-teardown-of-the-user-experience/ 5 Reasons Angry Birds Is So Damn Addictive http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-reasons-angry-birds-damn-addictive/ What's so addictive about 'Angry Birds'? http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/03/tech/gaming-gadgets/angry-birds-question-answer -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Stress. It makes us sweat, gives us headaches and is blamed for all sorts of medical maladies. But did you know that stress, in small measure, can actually help us succeed? Scientific American MIND editor Ingrid Wickelgren explains. More to explore: Enhance Your Resilience [Preview] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=enhance-your-resillience-stress&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

NASA's Kepler spacecraft has discovered nearly 3,000 possible exoplanets by tracking slight fluctuations in starlight to reveal their orbits. This is one of several methods employed in the hunt for the next habitable world. Scientific American editor John Matson explains. More to explore: Diminutive Discovery: Moon-Size Exoplanet Circling Sun-Like Star Smallest Yet http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=kepler-37b&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta Extragalactic Expat: Newfound Exoplanet Likely Came from Another Galaxy http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=extragalactic-planet&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta A Giant Planet Around a Metal-Poor Star of Extragalactic Origin http://www.sciencemag.org/content/330/6011/1642.abstract -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

We typically think of viruses as harmful. After all, they cause epidemics like influenza, smallpox and AIDS. But bacteriophages, the viruses that kill bacteria, may soon be coming to our rescue. Scientific American editor Anna Kuchment explains. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Every year tornadoes rip through the U.S. Midwest, leaving death, injury and billions of dollars of damage in their wake. Where do these twisters come from, and just how nasty can they get? Scientific American editor Mark Fischetti reports. More to explore: The Science of Tornadoes http://www.scientificamerican.com/report.cfm?id=science-of-tornadoes&WT.mc_id=SA_sciamerican_meta -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Cats are good sleepers and destroyers of furniture, but why do we never see them swimming? In this episode of Instant Egghead we get to the bottom of this mystery and, oh yeah, also explain the scientific method. Episode written by Robin Lloyd. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Have you ever wondered why humans lack the regenerative ability found in salamanders and some lizards? Why can these animals regrow their amputated limbs and we can't? Scientific American contributor Yasmin Tayag explains. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Dinosaurs died out some 65 million years ago, so how could we possibly determine the color of their skin--or feathers? As Scientific American's Eric R. Olson explains, new fossil evidence is pointing the way. Episode written by Kate Wong. --- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

We're digging deeper into Earth's crust than we ever have before, pulling water up and pumping it down. As Scientific American editor David Biello explains, these are just a few of the many ways humans are triggering severe seismic activity. --- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH --- Thumbnail image courtesy of Remko Tanis via flickr.com

Films like The Invisible Man and the more recent Harry Potter series speak to the fascination humans have with invisibility. Will new technology grant us this ability? Scientific American's John Matson explains how it might work. --- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

From the time of Charles Darwin science has painted a picture of our earliest ancestor in the image of a chimpanzee. Scientific American editor Katherine Harmon explains how new fossil evidence is redrawing the lines of human evolution. --- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

The last several years have seen a number of horrific maulings at the hands of chimpanzees. How can animals that share 99 percent of their genes with us, yet are only a fraction of our weight, possess such amazing strength? -- Please visit our website to discover the latest advances in science and technology: http://bit.ly/30Z4ZpZ Discover world-changing science with a subscription to Scientific American. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2RtR1cs

It's happened to all of us: we're cruising down the freeway and suddenly find ourselves stuck in a thick jam of other cars. Where did they come from? What caused the traffic mess? Scientific American editor Larry Greenemeier explains. -- Please visit our website to discover the latest advances in science and technology: http://bit.ly/30Z4ZpZ Discover world-changing science with a subscription to Scientific American. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2RtR1cs

How do scientists determine the age of fossils that have been under the surface of the earth for thousands of years? Scientific American Editor Michael Moyer explains the process of radiocarbon dating. Please visit our website to discover the latest advances in science and technology: http://bit.ly/30Z4ZpZ Discover world-changing science with a subscription to Scientific American. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2RtR1cs

Does other intelligent life exist in the universe? Until we discover aliens, or they discover us, we won't know for sure, but the famous Drake equation gives us an educated guess. Scientific American editor John Matson explains. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

It may sound like something straight out of a horror movie, but many animals can come under the zombie-like control of parasites. So what about humans? Scientific American editor Katherine Harmon fills us in on the ghoulish side of Nature. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Some of the most infuriating and stabbing pain is caused by nothing but a thin sheet of paper. Scientific American editor Ferris Jabr explains why the page of a book can sometimes cause more anguish than a blade. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

According to the United Nations, we are losing about 200 species per day--a thousand times the normal background rate of extinction. How does this stack up to previous mass extinctions? Scientific American editor Fred Guterl explains. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

In 1934, ophthalmologist Adelbert Ames, Jr. devised a room that pushes the boundaries of human perception. Visit a virtual version of the now famous Ames room, as Scientific American Mind editor Ingrid Wickelgren explains how it works. -- Please visit our website to discover the latest advances in science and technology: http://bit.ly/30Z4ZpZ Discover world-changing science with a subscription to Scientific American. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2RtR1cs

Ever wonder how new 3-D technology differs from the old red-and-blue glasses popular in the 1950s? Scientific American editor Larry Greenemeier explains--and makes a special appearance in 3-D. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Ever wonder why a bruise goes through a rainbow of color changes before it completely heals itself? Scientific American editor Mark Fischetti explains how it happens. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

In the last decade, we've seen extreme hurricanes, droughts, blizzards and more. Are these weather events random or are they the result of fundamental changes to Earth's climate? Scientific American editor Mark Fischetti explains. --- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH

Scientific American editor Eric R. Olson untangles the relationship between the most fundamental components of our biology. -- Please visit our website to discover the latest advances in science and technology: http://bit.ly/30Z4ZpZ Discover world-changing science with a subscription to Scientific American. Learn more: http://bit.ly/2RtR1cs

Liberal or conservative; gay or straight; adventurous or cautious: How do genes influence our behavior and predispositions? Scientific American's Christine Gorman explains why the answer to this question is more complex than it first appears. -- WATCH more Instant Egghead: http://goo.gl/CkXwKj SUBSCRIBE to our channel: http://goo.gl/fmoXZ VISIT ScientificAmerican.com for the latest science news:http://goo.gl/lHq0CH