Where do new words come from? - Marcel Danesi
Adults EducationThere are over 170,000 words currently in use in the English language. Yet every year, about a thousand new words are added to the Oxford English Dictionary. Where do they come from, and how do they make it into our everyday lives? Marcel Danesi explains how new words enter a language.
These College Students Built a Hyperloop Pod... Here's What Happened
Adults EducationCollege can be stressful with all the classes, exams and social events to balance. Now, imagine doing all that while building a Hyperloop pod that will be judged by Elon Musk... no pressure. A scrappy group of students from Wisconsin boldly took on that challenge, and they learned that no matter how many all-nighters you pull, there's always more work to be done.
What makes muscles grow? - Jeffrey Siegel
Adults EducationWe have over 600 muscles in our bodies that help bind us together, hold us up, and help us move. Your muscles also need your constant attention, because the way you treat them on a daily basis determines whether they will wither or grow. Jeffrey Siegel illustrates how a good mix of sleep, nutrition and exercise keep your muscles as big and strong as possible.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Adults EducationMany of humanity's greatest problems stem not from a shortfall of technical or financial intelligence, but what we term emotional intelligence. It is through the acquisition of Emotional Intelligence that we stand to become better lovers, workers, friends and citizens. We are rarely systematically taught Emotional Intelligence and pay a heavy price for this gap in learning. The School of Life is dedicated to fostering Emotional Intelligence.
How does impeachment work? - Alex Gendler
Adults EducationFor most jobs, it's understood that you can be fired - whether for crime, incompetence, or just poor performance. But what if your job happens to be the most powerful position in the country - or the world? That's where impeachment comes in. But how does it work? Alex Gendler details the process of impeachment.
How To Be A Genius
Adults Education"We hear a lot about genius. We are taught to admire the minds of those infinite, baffling but astonishing geniuses like Einstein, Tolstoy or Picasso. Quite what genius might actually be is left a little vague. It's a codeword for 'brilliant but perhaps too other-worldly ever really to fathom.' We are invited to stand in awe at the achievements of geniuses but also to feel that their thought processes might be quasi-magical and that it is ultimately simply mysterious how they were ever able to come up with the ideas they have had..."
How to practice effectively...for just about anything - Annie Bosler and Don Greene
Adults EducationMastering any physical skill takes practice. Practice is the repetition of an action with the goal of improvement, and it helps us perform with more ease, speed, and confidence. But what does practice actually do to make us better at things? Annie Bosler and Don Greene explain how practice affects the inner workings of our brains.
Can you find the next number in this sequence? - Alex Gendler
Adults Education1, 11, 21, 1211, 111221. These are the first five elements of a number sequence. Can you figure out what comes next? Alex Gendler reveals the answer and explains how beyond just being a neat puzzle, this type of sequence has practical applications as well.
Why We Only Learn When We Repeat
Adults EducationOur education system is based on the idea that we can learn things once, and that they'll then stay in our minds throughout our lives. That's far too optimistic. Our brains are like sieves. If anything is going to remain in them, we need regular reminders of what really matters. Fascinatingly, religions always understood that.
Does grammar matter? - Andreea S. Calude
Adults EducationIt can be hard sometimes, when speaking, to remember all of the grammatical rules that guide us when we're writing. When is it right to say "the dog and me" and when should it be "the dog and I"? Does it even matter? Andreea S. Calude dives into the age-old argument between linguistic prescriptivists and descriptivists - who have two very different opinions on the matter.
When to use "me", "myself" and "I" - Emma Bryce
Adults EducationMe, myself, and I. You may be tempted to use these words interchangeably, because they all refer to the same thing. But in fact, each one has a specific role in a sentence: 'I' is a subject pronoun, 'me' is an object pronoun, and 'myself' is a reflexive or intensive pronoun. Emma Bryce explains what each role reveals about where each word belongs.
A neuroscientist explains how being bilingual makes your brain more robust
Adults EducationMarian Sigman, a neuroscientist and author of "The Secret Life of the Mind: How Your Brain Thinks, Feels, and Decides," explains how babies that grow up bilingual will have brain functions that might be superior to those children that only speak one language.
Kid Yoga Teacher | Tabay Atkins // 60 Second Docs
Adults Education11-year-old Tabay Atkins is America's youngest yoga teacher, and his purpose is giving back. After his mother beat cancer when he was just 6, Tabay picked up yoga, realizing the practice that helped his mom heal could make a difference for others. Once he completed a 200-hour teacher training, Tabay began teaching three free classes (donations appreciated) every week. Now, students of all ages flock to his studio to honor the divine spirit in him -- and themselves.
A psychologist debunks the claim that fidget spinners help kids focus
Adults EducationFidget spinners are everywhere these days. You can buy them on any street corner for a few dollars, and both kids and adults are obsessed with them. The companies that make these hot new gadgets claim they help relieve stress and anxiety and can help kids with ADHD focus. David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist from the Child Mind Institute, shares his thoughts on spinners.
9-Year-Old Piano Prodigy | Ryan Wang // 60 Second Docs
Adults EducationRyan Wang is a typical 9-year-old boy, with one extreme exception -- he's a world-famous classical piano prodigy. In 2013, when he was just five years old, he performed at Carnegie Hall, and has since made appearances on The Ellen Show and with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. And through it all, Ryan remains a normal kid who loves life offstage, too.