How Do Nerves Work? TED-Ed video

At any moment, there is "an electrical storm" coursing through your body. Discover how chemical reactions create an electric current that drives our responses to everything in this 5-minute video:



Read more and customize this lesson at TED-Ed website: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-do-nerves-work

What percentage of your brain do you use? TED-Ed video

Two thirds of the population believes a myth that has been propagated for over a century: that we use only 10% of our brains. Hardly. Our neuron-dense brains have evolved to use the least amount of energy while carrying the most information possible - a feat that requires the entire brain. Richard E. Cytowic debunks this neurological myth, and explains why we aren't so good at multitasking.



Read more here:

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-percentage-of-your-brain-do-you-use-richard-e-cytowic

Why do we cry? The three types of tears (TED-Ed video)

Whether we cry during a sad movie, while chopping onions, or completely involuntarily, our eyes are constantly producing tears. Alex Gendler tracks a particularly watery day in the life of Iris (the iris) as she cycles through basal, reflex and emotional tears.



Read more here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-we-cry-the-three-types-of-tears-alex-gendler

Sugar is hiding in plain sight - TED-Ed video by UCSF endocrinologist

When you eat something loaded with sugar, your taste buds, your gut and your brain all take notice. This activation of your reward system is not unlike how bodies process addictive substances such as alcohol or nicotine -- an overload of sugar spikes dopamine levels and leaves you craving more

While sugar is easy to spot in candy, soft drinks and ice cream, it also hides out in foods you might not expect -- including peanut butter, pasta sauce and even bologna! Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco, decodes confusing labels and sugar's many aliases to help determine just how much of that sweet carbohydrate makes its way into our diets.



Lesson by Robert Lustig, animation by The Tremendousness Collective.

More info: Sugar: Hiding in plain sight - Robert Lustig | TED-Ed http://buff.ly/1iY0PTc

What is Alzheimer's disease? TED-Ed video

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting over 40 million people worldwide. And though it was discovered over a century ago, scientists are still grappling for a cure. Ivan Seah Yu Jun describes how Alzheimer's affects the brain, shedding light on the different stages of this complicated, destructive disease.

Lesson by Ivan Seah Yu Jun, animation by STK Films.

The science of attraction - TED-Ed video

Lesson by Dawn Maslar, animation by TOGETHER: "Romantic chemistry is all about warm, gooey feelings that gush from the deepest depths of the heart... right? Not quite. Actually, the real boss behind attraction is your brain, which runs through a very quick, very complex series of calculations when assessing a potential partner."



Read more here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-science-of-attraction-dawn-maslar

Related:

Tristram Wyatt: The smelly mystery of the human pheromone | TED Talk Video http://buff.ly/1vhSAI2

Not all scientific studies are created equal - TED-Ed video

"Every day, we are bombarded by attention grabbing headlines that promise miracle cures to all of our ailments -- often backed up by a "scientific study." But what are these studies, and how do we know if they are reliable? David H. Schwartz dissects two types of studies that scientists use, illuminating why you should always approach the claims with a critical eye."

How the heart actually pumps blood - TED-Ed animation

For most of history, scientists weren't quite sure why our hearts were beating or even what purpose they served. Eventually, we realized that these thumping organs serve the vital task of pumping clean blood throughout the body. But how? Edmond Hui investigates how it all works by taking a closer look at the heart's highly efficient ventricle system.

Lesson by Edmond Hui, animation by Anton Bogaty.



View full lesson here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-the-heart-actually-pumps-blood-edmond-hui