Elements
S3 E78

Aerogel Could Be the Key to Colonizing Mars, Here's How

Silica aerogel is the lightest solid in the world, and it might be the key for sustaining a human colony on Mars.

By Seeker

Published on 8/30/2019 at 7:04 AM

Elements is more than just a science show. It’s your science-loving best friend, tasked with keeping you updated and interested on all the compelling, innovative and groundbreaking science happening all around us. Join our passionate hosts as they help break down and present fascinating science, from quarks to quantum theory and beyond.

More Videos

New Theory Reveals Why Tabby’s Star Looks So Bizarre
Elements
S3 E119

New Theory Reveals Why Tabby’s Star Looks So Bizarre

Researchers might be one step closer to figuring out the mysterious behavior behind Tabby's star's dimming.

This New Tech Could Revolutionize How We Store Renewable Energy
Elements
S3 E118

This New Tech Could Revolutionize How We Store Renewable Energy

Advanced CAES is a new iteration of an old technology that's able to harness air’s elastic potential to store energy until it’s ready to be used, which could be a huge game-changer for renewable energy.

'Magic' Angle Graphene Is BACK...With An Even Bigger Twist
Elements
S3 E117

'Magic' Angle Graphene Is BACK...With An Even Bigger Twist

Scientists have unveiled a whole new world of physics that could lead to the superconductors we've been waiting for.

What Has No Brain, 720 Sexes, And the Ability To Self-Heal?!
Elements
S3 E116

What Has No Brain, 720 Sexes, And the Ability To Self-Heal?!

With its ability to self-heal and farm bacterial “crops,” slime mold is challenging everything we know about intelligent life.

Why NASA’s InSight Mission Can’t Scratch Mars’ Surface
Elements
S3 E115

Why NASA’s InSight Mission Can’t Scratch Mars’ Surface

It's been a year since NASA's InSight Lander landed on Mars, but one of its major instruments is having trouble cracking the Martian surface. So what's going on?

What’s Actually Happening in Your Noise-Canceling Headphones
Elements
S3 E114

What’s Actually Happening in Your Noise-Canceling Headphones

Noise-canceling headphones have been offering humans a layer of protection against the sounds of everyday life for a while now—but how do these ear shields actually work?

The Existence of White Holes May Settle One of Physics’ Biggest Debates
Elements
S3 E113

The Existence of White Holes May Settle One of Physics’ Biggest Debates

Chances are you are familiar with black holes, we at Seeker love to discuss a black hole or two—but what about white holes? It’s time we talk about the black hole’s hypothetical opposite.

This Secret X-37B Plane Just Landed After 780 Days in Orbit
Elements
S3 E112

This Secret X-37B Plane Just Landed After 780 Days in Orbit

The Air Force's X37-B plane landed after a record-breaking 780 days in space. But what was the secret plane doing?

The Search For an HIV Vaccine May Soon Be Over
Elements
S3 E111

The Search For an HIV Vaccine May Soon Be Over

HIV is one of the deadliest viruses on the planet, newly infecting about 1.7 million people in 2018. But scientists are getting closer to developing a vaccine.

Scientists Just Witnessed the Birth of Two Stars in Stunning Detail
Elements
S3 E110

Scientists Just Witnessed the Birth of Two Stars in Stunning Detail

Our knowledge of the early lives of stars is limited, but an exciting new observation provides a closer look at how stars are born.

The UK Is Racing to Build the World’s First Commercial Fusion Power Plant
Elements
S3 E109

The UK Is Racing to Build the World’s First Commercial Fusion Power Plant

What could the UK’s recent investment announcement mean for the future of sustainable energy?

India Just Unveiled its Ambitious Plan to Build a Space Station
Elements
S3 E108

India Just Unveiled its Ambitious Plan to Build a Space Station

India announced it plans to launch its own space station by 2030. But how hard is it to launch a space station?

This Breakthrough in Lab-Grown Meat Could Make it Look Like Real Flesh
Elements
S3 E107

This Breakthrough in Lab-Grown Meat Could Make it Look Like Real Flesh

Scientists at Harvard have created a texture in meat grown in a lab close to the actual animal meat we're used to. Would you eat it?

Could Ocean Cleanup’s New Interceptor Help Solve Our Plastic Problem?
Elements
S3 E106

Could Ocean Cleanup’s New Interceptor Help Solve Our Plastic Problem?

The Ocean Cleanup just released a new device to help clean up plastic in rivers before it reaches the ocean. So how does it work?

Scientists Just Witnessed the Birth of a Heavy Element in Space
Elements
S3 E105

Scientists Just Witnessed the Birth of a Heavy Element in Space

The heaviest elements in our universe were just seen created in the heart of a kilonova after two neutron stars collided.

NASA’s WFIRST Space Telescope Will Offer Unprecedented Look At Universe
Elements
S3 E104

NASA’s WFIRST Space Telescope Will Offer Unprecedented Look At Universe

We have sunglasses to protect our eyes from the sun, but what if we told you that the stars can be bad for you in a similar way when you’re looking into space?

Everything We Know About Dinosaur Evolution Just Changed, Here’s Why
Elements
S3 E103

Everything We Know About Dinosaur Evolution Just Changed, Here’s Why

While it's been known that dinosaurs had feathers, the question of when feathers evolved is longstanding in the paleontological community.

How Big Is a Proton? This Decade-Long Debate May Have Just Been Solved
Elements
S3 E102

How Big Is a Proton? This Decade-Long Debate May Have Just Been Solved

Scientists thought they knew the approximate size of a proton until a 2010 experiment came back with a very different number, creating the proton-radius puzzle.

We’re Getting Closer to Seeing Our Universe’s First Light
Elements
S3 E101

We’re Getting Closer to Seeing Our Universe’s First Light

We have yet to observe the first couple hundred million year's after the Big Bang. Cosmologists have coined this period the Dark Ages.

Falling Atoms Are Helping NASA Measure Earth’s Gravity
Elements
S3 E100

Falling Atoms Are Helping NASA Measure Earth’s Gravity

The Earth’s gravitational pull isn’t uniform, as it varies from one place to another. So, scientists developed a new instrument to deliver the most accurate measurements yet.

There’s a Hidden Continent Lurking Beneath Europe
Elements
S3 E99

There’s a Hidden Continent Lurking Beneath Europe

How did we lose an entire continent? Scientists have spent nearly 10 years to figure out the history of the lost continent they’re calling Greater Adria.

Urgent Spacewalk Turns Into Historical Moment For NASA
Elements
S3 E97

Urgent Spacewalk Turns Into Historical Moment For NASA

NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir just made history in the first ever all-women spacewalk—and it’s been a long time coming.

NASA Is Planning to Slam a Spacecraft Into an Asteroid
Elements
S3 E98

NASA Is Planning to Slam a Spacecraft Into an Asteroid

What if a deadly asteroid was on a collision course to Earth? NASA and the ESA have come up with a solution.

How Scientists Discovered Nearly 200,000 Viruses Hiding in Our Ocean
Elements
S3 E96

How Scientists Discovered Nearly 200,000 Viruses Hiding in Our Ocean

Just when you think the ocean couldn't get any weirder, it turns out there are viruses in it.

What Quantum Matter Fireballs Can Tell Us About Evolution of the Universe
Elements
S3 E95

What Quantum Matter Fireballs Can Tell Us About Evolution of the Universe

The HADES machine is creating quantum matter fireballs with temperatures up to 800 billion degrees Celsius, in an effort to study quarks.

This Arctic Expedition Is Freezing a Ship for an Entire Year, Here’s Why
Elements
S3 E94

This Arctic Expedition Is Freezing a Ship for an Entire Year, Here’s Why

Scientists have just embarked on the world’s largest Arctic expedition. And their methods are quite unique.

Did Google Just Achieve 'Quantum Supremacy'?
Elements
S3 E93

Did Google Just Achieve 'Quantum Supremacy'?

A leaked paper from Google claimed that a quantum computer demonstrated "quantum supremacy." But what does that mean?

Could Ultracapacitors Realize Their Full Potential... With Laxatives?
Elements
S3 E92

Could Ultracapacitors Realize Their Full Potential... With Laxatives?

The drawbacks of supercapacitors means we'll be stuck with batteries for a while. However, experiments with a new class of materials that are related to soap and laxatives (yes, laxatives) could change that.

Transforming Air Into Pure Drinking Water Is Finally Possible, Here’s How
Elements
S3 E91

Transforming Air Into Pure Drinking Water Is Finally Possible, Here’s How

Climate change threatens to make dry regions even drier, so scientists at UC Berkeley created a device to make water out of thin air.

This Underground Economy Exists in a Secret Fungi Kingdom
Elements
S3 E90

This Underground Economy Exists in a Secret Fungi Kingdom

We now have a new understanding of the underground ecosystem. It turns out that fungi barter and trade with other organisms like little stockbrokers.

Camera Measures Scattered Light to Detect Objects Outside Line of Sight
Elements
S3 E89

Camera Measures Scattered Light to Detect Objects Outside Line of Sight

Can’t see what’s hiding around the corner? That’s no problem for this camera, which measures scattered light from a laser to detect objects outside its line of sight.

How These Bacteria Become Electrical Cables That Could Power Our World
Elements
S3 E88

How These Bacteria Become Electrical Cables That Could Power Our World

Some species of bacteria, such as Shewanella and Geobacter can do what other species can't. They can survive off of solely electrons.

WiFi 6 Just Launched and Here’s What It Means for Your Internet
Elements
S3 E87

WiFi 6 Just Launched and Here’s What It Means for Your Internet

New phones will soon support Wi-Fi 6. Wait... what were the previous 5?

Could Injecting Carbon Into the Earth Save Our Planet?
Elements
S3 E86

Could Injecting Carbon Into the Earth Save Our Planet?

Carbon pollution is being sucked from the sky and injected into underground rocks—will Climeworks’ ambitious plan to stop climate change work?

A Vaping-Related Illness Has Turned Deadly, Here’s What You Need to Know
Elements
S3 E85

A Vaping-Related Illness Has Turned Deadly, Here’s What You Need to Know

Vaping has soared in popularity, with now more than 40 million users worldwide. But an unexplained respiratory illness has swept the U.S. in recent weeks, and many health investigators suspect that vaping might be to blame.

Carbon Nanotubes Might Be the Boost Solar Energy Has Been Looking For
Elements
S3 E84

Carbon Nanotubes Might Be the Boost Solar Energy Has Been Looking For

One of the greatest challenges facing solar technology is wasted heat, but carbon nanotubes might be the high efficiency boost that solar cells need to succeed.

NASA’s TESS Is Getting Us One Step Closer To Another Earth, Here’s How
Elements
S3 E83

NASA’s TESS Is Getting Us One Step Closer To Another Earth, Here’s How

NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) discovered 21 planets outside our solar system during its first year in space. How does TESS categorize a planet?

First Photo of Quantum Entanglement Could Disprove Einstein’s Theory
Elements
S3 E82

First Photo of Quantum Entanglement Could Disprove Einstein’s Theory

Einstein dubbed the idea of quantum entanglement as "spooky action at a distance." Now for the first time ever, scientists have taken a picture of it.

A New Laser Technology Can See Inside Our Bodies Like Never Before
Elements
S3 E81

A New Laser Technology Can See Inside Our Bodies Like Never Before

While X-rays can produce harmful radiation, a new technique using laser-induced sound waves provides highly detailed images of the structures in our bodies.

Scientists Were Hunting for Dark Matter... and Then This Happened
Elements
S3 E80

Scientists Were Hunting for Dark Matter... and Then This Happened

These scientists discovered the longest half-life ever recorded.

No, the Amazon Rainforest Doesn’t Produce 20% of Our Oxygen, Here’s Why
Elements
S3 E79

No, the Amazon Rainforest Doesn’t Produce 20% of Our Oxygen, Here’s Why

Contrary to popular belief, the Amazon forest doesn’t provide Earth with 20% of its oxygen supply. So how exactly do the fires currently destroying Earth's largest remaining rainforest affect us?

Aerogel Could Be the Key to Colonizing Mars, Here's How
Elements
S3 E78

Aerogel Could Be the Key to Colonizing Mars, Here's How

Silica aerogel is the lightest solid in the world, and it might be the key for sustaining a human colony on Mars.

Why Is It So Hard to Figure Out How Fast the Universe Is Expanding?
Elements
S3 E77

Why Is It So Hard to Figure Out How Fast the Universe Is Expanding?

Scientists have long been aware of the universe's expansion. However, there is much debate between scientists on how fast the universe is expanding.

This Deep-Sea Robot Will Explore Depths of the Ocean Like Never Before
Elements
S3 E76

This Deep-Sea Robot Will Explore Depths of the Ocean Like Never Before

Scientists know more about the surface of Mars than the largely unexplored deep sea, but new deep sea robots could offer a further glimpse of life in the Twilight Zone.

Why Scientists Are Injuring Digital Humans to Improve Your Life
Elements
S3 E75

Why Scientists Are Injuring Digital Humans to Improve Your Life

Researchers in South Korea trained a neural network to control a simulated human body, which could shape the future of physical therapy, surgery, and robotics.

World’s First MRI of SINGLE Atom Is Here, It Could Revolutionize Imaging
Elements
S3 E74

World’s First MRI of SINGLE Atom Is Here, It Could Revolutionize Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging is nothing new, but scientists were able to perform an MRI on a single atom. But how?

How This New State of Matter Is Made With Lasers, Crystals, & Frustration
Elements
S3 E73

How This New State of Matter Is Made With Lasers, Crystals, & Frustration

Scientists were able to use lasers to create a "supercrystal." The key to making this happen? Frustration.

Scientists Detected Two Supermassive Black Holes on a Collision Course
Elements
S3 E72

Scientists Detected Two Supermassive Black Holes on a Collision Course

Scientists just discovered two supermassive black holes, each with a mass of more than 800 million suns. And they're on a collision course with each other.

Scientists Just Confirmed a Rare Lava Lake Is Hiding in an Ice Mountain
Elements
S3 E71

Scientists Just Confirmed a Rare Lava Lake Is Hiding in an Ice Mountain

It turns out volcanoes with active lava lakes are very rare, but scientists added an 8th to the list.

Why Elon Musk Wants to Implant an Electrical Wire in Your Brain
Elements
S3 E70

Why Elon Musk Wants to Implant an Electrical Wire in Your Brain

Elon Musk's Neuralink is planning on inserting electrodes in brains to help people who are paralyzed use robotic prosthetics.

Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Is Shifting South… So What Now?
Elements
S3 E69

Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Is Shifting South… So What Now?

The Earth's magnetic poles are constantly shifting, and scientists believe they've figured out why.

This New Discovery Could Reveal the Secret to How Galaxies Die
Elements
S3 E68

This New Discovery Could Reveal the Secret to How Galaxies Die

A quasar, or quasi-stellar radio source, was thought to be the signal for a galaxy on the brink of death. However, a recent discovery of cold quasars suggests otherwise.

If Chernobyl Happened Today, How Could We Treat the Radiation Poisoning?
Elements
S3 E67

If Chernobyl Happened Today, How Could We Treat the Radiation Poisoning?

It's been more than 30 years since the Chernobyl nuclear accident, but if another disaster were to occur, how would we handle the radiation poisoning?

How Chaos Theory Unravels the Mysteries of Nature
Elements
S3 E66

How Chaos Theory Unravels the Mysteries of Nature

Ever wonder how we try to predict the unpredictable? Supercomputers use the power of chaos theory.

We Just Found a MAJOR Clue About How Life Started in the Universe
Elements
S3 E65

We Just Found a MAJOR Clue About How Life Started in the Universe

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope discovered these electrically charged molecules shaped like soccer balls. These "buckyballs" could shed insight on the creation of stars and planets.

Scientists Just Discovered Fresh Water Under the Ocean, and It’s HUGE
Elements
S3 E64

Scientists Just Discovered Fresh Water Under the Ocean, and It’s HUGE

Scientists found a freshwater aquifer under the ocean. And get this — there's enough water to fill 1.1 billion Olympic-sized swimming pools.

This “Beating” Heart Patch Could Repair Broken Hearts
Elements
S3 E63

This “Beating” Heart Patch Could Repair Broken Hearts

A heart attack can leave a heart permanently damaged. However, these new "beating" patches might be able to save the lives of those with damaged hearts.

How Sonic Black Holes Could Confirm Hawking’s Radiation
Elements
S3 E62

How Sonic Black Holes Could Confirm Hawking’s Radiation

In order to test Hawking radiation, scientists created their own artificial black hole using sound. But how?

Scientists Just Got One Step Closer to Solving an Antarctic Mystery
Elements
S3 E61

Scientists Just Got One Step Closer to Solving an Antarctic Mystery

Giant holes in the Antarctic, called polynyas, have baffled scientists for years. But now with the help of seals and robots, they might have the answers to these mysterious phenomena.

Why Scientists Are Exploring Earth’s Dangerous Twin
Elements
S3 E60

Why Scientists Are Exploring Earth’s Dangerous Twin

NASA and the ISRO are planning on venturing to Venus for the first time in years because knowing this "Evil Twin" could be the key to understanding our planet's future.

The Secret to Planet Formation Might Be Hiding in the ‘Fulton Gap’
Elements
S3 E59

The Secret to Planet Formation Might Be Hiding in the ‘Fulton Gap’

There are over 2,600 exoplanets that have been discovered, but there seems to be a gap in the data. Why is this and what can it tell us about our universe?

Why Did Microsoft Put a Data Center Underwater?
Elements
S3 E58

Why Did Microsoft Put a Data Center Underwater?

Computer company, Microsoft, is taking servers where they've never been before: under the sea. If this innovative approach to data storage is successful, this might just be the future of "cloud computing."

SpaceX’s Plans For Universal Internet Could Ruin Astronomy
Elements
S3 E57

SpaceX’s Plans For Universal Internet Could Ruin Astronomy

SpaceX plans to launch 12,000 satellites in a mission to provide universal internet. But at what cost to studying the stars?

We Just Discovered How The Milky Way’s Twin Was Destroyed
Elements
S3 E56

We Just Discovered How The Milky Way’s Twin Was Destroyed

The Milky Way doesn't just have one twin, it has multiple, and each one of them can tell us more about how our galaxy has lived and how it might be destroyed.

Is This Color Blue? Maybe Not
Elements
S3 E55

Is This Color Blue? Maybe Not

Turns out, blue is not only a color that's rare in nature, but it's almost impossible to recreate. In order to do so, you need to dive into the physics of color.

This Part of Your DNA Could Shorten Your Lifespan
Elements
S3 E54

This Part of Your DNA Could Shorten Your Lifespan

The length of telomeres may be the key to how fast we are aging, and they can be affected by our daily stresses. We can help build them back up, but first, what are telomeres?

How Bad Are Rocket Launches for the Environment?
Elements
S3 E53

How Bad Are Rocket Launches for the Environment?

From Space-X to Blue Origin, rocket launches have increased tremendously over the past year. How do these numerous launches affect the environment?

Here’s Why Repairing the Hole in the Ozone Layer Is Delayed by a Decade
Elements
S3 E52

Here’s Why Repairing the Hole in the Ozone Layer Is Delayed by a Decade

A mysterious spike in ozone destroying emissions, CFC-11, has finally been located to 2 provinces in China. But what is CFC-11 and what happens now?

How Space Triggers Herpes in Astronauts
Elements
S3 E51

How Space Triggers Herpes in Astronauts

The herpes simplex virus can hide deep in your DNA, evading your immune system for years, and sometimes make it to space by hitching on the backs of astronauts and reactivating on the ISS. What is it about space that causes its comeback?

Scientists Created a Plastic That’s Infinitely Recyclable
Elements
S3 E50

Scientists Created a Plastic That’s Infinitely Recyclable

Plastic is suffocating the planet, but what if we could make recycling it more efficient? This UC Berkeley team has created a brand new kind of plastic that can be recycled endlessly.

The Race to the Moon’s South Pole Is On, But Who Will Get There First?
Elements
S3 E49

The Race to the Moon’s South Pole Is On, But Who Will Get There First?

Indian Space Agency, Blue Origins, and NASA are just three of the teams preparing for missions to the moon's South Pole. But who will get there first?

The Newest Form of Water is Hot and Black, Wait What?
Elements
S3 E48

The Newest Form of Water is Hot and Black, Wait What?

It only took diamonds, x-rays, and a bunch of ultra-powerful lasers to create our newest form of water, Ice XVIII. And it might be the key to unlocking what's inside the mysterious ice planets of our solar system.

There Are Gravity Pulses Hiding in the Universe’s Most MASSIVE Stars
Elements
S3 E47

There Are Gravity Pulses Hiding in the Universe’s Most MASSIVE Stars

Blue supergiant stars some of the hottest, biggest young stars in the universe, and their molten cores can reveal more about the formation of everything.

The New CRISPR Tool That Could ‘Delete’ Disease From Our DNA
Elements
S3 E46

The New CRISPR Tool That Could ‘Delete’ Disease From Our DNA

CRISPR-Cas3 could be the new gene editing tool we need to finally eliminate diseases from our genome. Here's how it works.

The Fourth State of Matter Could Scrub Viruses From The Air
Elements
S3 E45

The Fourth State of Matter Could Scrub Viruses From The Air

Using cold plasma as an air purifier is not only safe, but can eliminate 99.9% of a test virus from the air...in a fraction of a second! According to research from University of Michigan, here's how it works.

Giant Flow Batteries Could Power Your City In The Future
Elements
S3 E44

Giant Flow Batteries Could Power Your City In The Future

China is building vanadium redox flow batteries to power its cities in the future, but what exactly are they and how do they work?

Could Zapping Your Brain With Electricity Improve Your Memory?
Elements
S3 E43

Could Zapping Your Brain With Electricity Improve Your Memory?

Your memory starts to degrade with age, but what exactly happens in your brain if there was a little zap to it? Here's what scientists discovered.

How Scientists Found the Universe’s First Type of Molecule
Elements
S3 E42

How Scientists Found the Universe’s First Type of Molecule

NASA has just discovered how the hot particles after the Big Bang settled down and created the very first molecule in the universe.

The Mystifying Structures Hidden Within Earth’s Mantle
Elements
S3 E41

The Mystifying Structures Hidden Within Earth’s Mantle

40 years ago researchers discovered two continent-sized blobs wrapped around Earth's core, and they're still trying to figure out what they are. Here's what they know so far.

This 3D Bioprinted Organ Just Took Its First "Breath"
Elements
S3 E40

This 3D Bioprinted Organ Just Took Its First "Breath"

This breathing air sac model serves as a proof of concept for a field where printing vasculature has been one of the biggest challenges.

Scientists Grew A Lamb In a Bag... Wait What?
Elements
S3 E39

Scientists Grew A Lamb In a Bag... Wait What?

Two years ago, researchers created an artificial womb for premature lamb fetuses. Now, that technology is getting better by creating a womb that can one day help extremely premature babies live from 21–24 weeks old.

Why Did We Just Shoot A “Bullet” At An Asteroid?
Elements
S3 E38

Why Did We Just Shoot A “Bullet” At An Asteroid?

We keep sending spacecrafts to asteroids, but what makes these floating space rocks so special? Well, they could reveal the secrets about the formation of our solar system.

New Subatomic Particles Are Shifting the Standard Model of Physics
Elements
S3 E37

New Subatomic Particles Are Shifting the Standard Model of Physics

The Large Hadron Collider just discovered a new pentaquark, but how exactly does it fit in our current understanding of the Standard Model of elementary particles?

Temperatures Could Rise If Earth Lost All Its Clouds, Here’s How
Elements
S3 E36

Temperatures Could Rise If Earth Lost All Its Clouds, Here’s How

Clouds are essential to regulating Earth's temperature, but what happens if they disappear?

How Did the T.Rex Evolve to Be the Ultimate Predator?
Elements
S3 E35

How Did the T.Rex Evolve to Be the Ultimate Predator?

In its prime, the Tyrannosaurus rex was the apex predator of the world over 65 million years ago, but how did it get so big, so fast? Here are the latest discoveries we have about this colossal beast.

Did NASA’s Twin Study Results Just Change Spaceflight Forever?
Elements
S3 E34

Did NASA’s Twin Study Results Just Change Spaceflight Forever?

The twin study is a revolutionary analysis of the molecular, physiological, and behavioral changes that happens to the human body in space in a year span. This is the first time it's ever been done and we're here to break it down for you.

No Human Has Ever Left Earth’s Atmosphere... Here's Why
Elements
S3 E33

No Human Has Ever Left Earth’s Atmosphere... Here's Why

New observations of our atmosphere calculate that it extends far beyond what we thought, encompassing the moon! This means that we've actually never left Earth's atmosphere. Here's what else these observations can tell us.

This Mini Brain Made a Muscle TWITCH, Here’s How
Elements
S3 E32

This Mini Brain Made a Muscle TWITCH, Here’s How

Growing brains can be a tricky process, but growing ones that can make muscles move? That's an incredible feat. Here's how scientists did it.

Is Russia Allowed To Make Their Own Internet? Sort Of
Elements
S3 E31

Is Russia Allowed To Make Their Own Internet? Sort Of

We use the internet every day, but who's in charge of owning all of it, and what happens when a country leaves the world wide web?

Why Don’t We Have Functional Biofuel Yet?
Elements
S3 E30

Why Don’t We Have Functional Biofuel Yet?

Alternative fuels, like ethanol and algae, have been around for years, yet there have been obstacles hindering these biofuels' take over the market. Here's why.

A Dead Satellite Is Unlocking The Secrets Lurking Beneath Antarctica
Elements
S3 E29

A Dead Satellite Is Unlocking The Secrets Lurking Beneath Antarctica

A hypothetical ocean model called a "geoid" is helping us uncover the hidden gravity points underneath our landmasses; including the ever mysterious Antarctica.

Could Black Holes Made Of Light Power Our Spaceships?
Elements
S3 E28

Could Black Holes Made Of Light Power Our Spaceships?

What exactly would it take to create our very own Swartzchild Kugelblitz?

Why We Want A Perpetual Motion Machine, But Still Can’t Get It
Elements
S3 E27

Why We Want A Perpetual Motion Machine, But Still Can’t Get It

A machine that can run for eternity is exactly what we need...if only it exists. A perpetual motion machine is impossible, here's why.

Diamond Nuclear Batteries Are Forever… Sort Of
Elements
S3 E26

Diamond Nuclear Batteries Are Forever… Sort Of

Batteries that run on BETA DECAY?! How exactly does a nuclear diamond battery work and why would we even want one?

A 5G World Is on the Horizon, But How Will It Work?
Elements
S3 E25

A 5G World Is on the Horizon, But How Will It Work?

The rumors of a 5G wireless network, with the fastest connectivity we've ever experienced, is finally coming this year.

A.I. Is Revolutionizing The Way We Build Video Games, Here’s How
Elements
S3 E24

A.I. Is Revolutionizing The Way We Build Video Games, Here’s How

In the age of A.I., video games are being used as a neural network training ground. A.I. has been used to recreate virtual levels and worlds replicating very closely to how a human would operate.

Wireless Electricity Is FINALLY Coming, Here’s Where We’re At
Elements
S3 E23

Wireless Electricity Is FINALLY Coming, Here’s Where We’re At

Imagine a world where charging cords don't exist and every device is powered as soon you walk into a room. Well, soon that might be a reality.

We’re Going to Detect More Gravitational Waves Than Ever Before, Here’s How
Elements
S3 E22

We’re Going to Detect More Gravitational Waves Than Ever Before, Here’s How

Once this $35 million upgrade is in place, LIGO will start using something called quantum "squeezed light." So, what does that mean exactly?

Why This 3D Light Printer Is A HUGE Game Changer
Elements
S3 E21

Why This 3D Light Printer Is A HUGE Game Changer

This brand new 3D printing method can shape objects, all-at-once, for the first time using specialized synthetic resin and rays of light.

Why Scientists Used Graphene Nanoribbons to Engineer Bionic Mushrooms
Elements
S3 E20

Why Scientists Used Graphene Nanoribbons to Engineer Bionic Mushrooms

This is the first time researchers have created an "engineered symbiosis" by combining bacteria with nanomaterials to produce the next generation of bionic architectures

Scientists Are Close To Eliminating Pain, Here’s How
Elements
S3 E19

Scientists Are Close To Eliminating Pain, Here’s How

How we might experience the unpleasantness of pain might come down to these 150 neurons in mouse brains.

Could These Numbers Unravel New Dimensions in Space?
Elements
S3 E18

Could These Numbers Unravel New Dimensions in Space?

These multidimensional number systems are helping us explain the laws of nature. Here’s how.

Scientists Trapped Electrons In a Quantum Fractal (And It's Wild!)
Elements
S3 E17

Scientists Trapped Electrons In a Quantum Fractal (And It's Wild!)

Fractals aren’t just crazy cool mathematically infinite shapes. They might just have the capacity to revolutionize modern electronics as we know it.

Why Twisted Light Holds the Key to Radically Faster Internet
Elements
S3 E15

Why Twisted Light Holds the Key to Radically Faster Internet

With this new nanophotonic device we just might have unlocked how to harness the data transfer potential of “twisted light”.

Will This New Male Birth Control Gel Actually Work?
Elements
S3 E14

Will This New Male Birth Control Gel Actually Work?

Right now, clinical trials are underway for a new form of birth control for men. What is it, and how does it work?

This Nuclear Robot Could Tunnel for Alien Life on Europa
Elements
S3 E13

This Nuclear Robot Could Tunnel for Alien Life on Europa

This nuclear-powered tunneling robot could one day find life on Europa. Here’s how it works.

How Did Roboticists Get This Ancient Fossil To Walk?
Elements
S3 E12

How Did Roboticists Get This Ancient Fossil To Walk?

Advanced computer tomography scans are changing the way paleontologists are studying ancient life and “OroBOT” may be just the beginning.

We May Have Just Unlocked a Secret to How Life on Earth Began
Elements
S3 E16

We May Have Just Unlocked a Secret to How Life on Earth Began

Scientists have been trying to piece together the chemical recipe for how the building blocks of life originated. Now, they may have found it.

Everything It Takes to Engineer the World’s Largest Sea Bridge
Elements
S3 E11

Everything It Takes to Engineer the World’s Largest Sea Bridge

120 years. That’s how long engineers want the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge to last. Given the suspension cables, artificials islands, and even an underground tunnel, the HZMB just might.

What Really Happens to Your Blood After You Donate?
Elements
S3 E10

What Really Happens to Your Blood After You Donate?

Plasma gathered from your blood can be exported across the globe, but what exactly is it, and why is it in demand?

There’s a Subterranean Biosphere Hiding in the Earth’s Crust and It’s MASSIVE
Elements
S3 E9

There’s a Subterranean Biosphere Hiding in the Earth’s Crust and It’s MASSIVE

This mysterious new ecosystem is being called the ‘subterranean galapagos’ and it’s almost twice the size of earth’s oceans. We’ve never seen anything like it.

The Crazy Plan to Deliver the First Baby in Space
Elements
S3 E8

The Crazy Plan to Deliver the First Baby in Space

A startup has announced plans to send a pregnant woman to space to give birth. Will this be the first baby born in space?

These Metamaterials Go Beyond the Properties of Nature
Elements
S3 E7

These Metamaterials Go Beyond the Properties of Nature

These materials have been engineered to interact with radiation in unnatural ways. Here’s how they’re making microscopic optical lenses, chip-sized synchrotrons, and so much more.

Can Hawking’s Black Hole Paradox Be Solved With Fuzzballs?
Elements
S3 E6

Can Hawking’s Black Hole Paradox Be Solved With Fuzzballs?

Our current ideas about black holes present some interesting paradoxes. Could this unusual black hole model solve them?

How Ferroelectricity Could Change the Way We Store Data
Elements
S3 E5

How Ferroelectricity Could Change the Way We Store Data

This hidden ferroelectric “particle” has evaded scientists for years, until recent studies have now discovered it and hacking into their potential.

How a Government Shutdown Screws Up Scientific Research
Elements
S3 E4

How a Government Shutdown Screws Up Scientific Research

Thousands of scientists were sent home on temporary non-paid leave, what does it mean for the research they had to leave behind?

A New Genetic Alphabet Is Creating Things Nature Has Never Seen
Elements
S3 E3

A New Genetic Alphabet Is Creating Things Nature Has Never Seen

If you thought DNA was made of just A, T, G and C-- think again. Scientists have been expanding these options, and the resulting organisms could create the impossible.

Can We Power the World With a Single Energy Grid?
Elements
S3 E2

Can We Power the World With a Single Energy Grid?

China is building a 1.1 million volt power line that will carry power 3,200km. Could this be the beginning of a united global energy grid?

Why Did China Send a Probe to the Far Side of the Moon?
Elements
S3 E1

Why Did China Send a Probe to the Far Side of the Moon?

For the first time in history, there is a rover on the far side of the moon and the Chang’e 4 mission is just beginning to explore this hidden side.