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Enzymes are proteins which are manufactured by the human body during the process of protein synthesis. They are catalysts that drive every chemical reaction taking place in the human body, and they enable the human body to be built from proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Enzymes are highly specific in their activity and form an enzyme-substrate complex speeding up processes as they lower the activation energy during a given reaction period. Through genetic engineering and by isolating specific enzymes, it has become possible to harness the power of enzymes.
(Source: DCMP)
Peoples’ attitudes about marijuana have changed dramatically over the years, but one thing is certain--marijuana changes the way the brain functions. The THC in marijuana enters the lungs, is absorbed into the bloodstream, and enters the brain almost immediately. Viewers will understand the immediate effects of marijuana use on various body systems. This program also discusses the effects of marijuana on attention, memory, and learning. Part of the "Talk It Out" series.
Smelling is as natural as breathing. Sixteen times a minute, air passes through the nose to fill the lungs. Billions of molecules passing through the nasal cavities are captured by the cells of the olfactory organ. Scientists and others are presently working in the realms of taste and smell to understand their powers. They are bringing to light the mystery that, from conception to adulthood, reveals a fabulous potential. Is it possible that one day the nose will help uncover diseases, vanquish pain, and lower stress levels? Part of the “Human + The Future of Our Senses” series.
Genetic and neurological research has led to increasingly sophisticated medical capabilities, resulting in a growing number of moral and ethical quandaries. Surveys recent milestones in biology, many of which have produced as much controversy as insight. Reporting on the newly identified anti-aging gene SIR2 and the cross-species implantation of stem cells, it also inquires into artificial limb technology, the dynamics of the teenage brain, and the storage of environmental toxins in the human body. A visit to the American Bible Belt, including Kentucky's Creationist Museum, highlights the ongoing debate over human origins.
Human ancestors in Africa likely had dark skin, which is produced by an abundance of the pigment eumelanin in skin cells. In the high ultraviolet (UV) environment of sub-Saharan Africa, darker skin offers protection from the damaging effects of UV radiation. Dr. Jablonski explains that the variation in skin color that evolved since human ancestors migrated out of Africa can be explained by the tradeoff between protection from UV and the need for some UV absorption for the production of vitamin D.
The first thing a baby giraffe experiences after being born is a two-meter fall straight down to the ground. But within an hour, it’s standing, walking, and nursing on its own. A blue whale calf, after nearly a year growing inside mom, can swim to the surface moments after being born. Human babies on the other hand are born unable to move or eat on their own. If humans are so smart, why are human babies so unsmart? Some may think it’s all about head size, but the real science is more complex. Part of the “It’s Okay to Be Smart” series.
Gene therapy is a method for treating inherited diseases by delivering corrective versions of genes to patients. Dr. Jean Bennett and Dr. Albert Maguire focused their careers on developing a successful gene therapy for an inherited form of childhood blindness called Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). This documentary tells the story of how the LCA gene therapy was developed. Students will learn how autosomal recessive conditions are inherited, how scientists can use modified viruses to deliver human genes to cells, what makes the eye an ideal tissue for gene therapy, and how model organisms are used to test treatments before they are tested in patients.
James Watson and Francis Crick collected and interpreted key evidence to determine that DNA molecules take the shape of a twisted ladder—a double helix. The film presents the challenges, false starts, and eventual success of their bold chase. Watson relates what those early days in the Cavendish Laboratory were like, including his friendship with Crick and their shared ambition and passion. Rarely seen archival footage is combined with interviews with some of today’s leading scientists to bring this landmark discovery and all of its implications to life.
Modern society is very much defined by its access to electricity. What if researchers could advance sustainable energy technologies to the point where everyone around the world had access to clean, cheap energy sources? Richard Smalley, 1996 Nobel Prize winning chemist, called it the greatest challenge facing the world in the 21st century and coined the phrase "terawatt challenge." Researchers at the Quantum Energy and Sustainable Solar Technologies (QESST) Center are hoping to meet much of the terawatt challenge with solar technology alone by vastly improving the performance of photovoltaic cells. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”
In the early 1950s, American biologist James Watson and British physicist Francis Crick came up with their famous model of the DNA double helix. The structure of DNA, as represented in Watson and Crick's model, is a double-stranded helix. The sugar-phosphate backbones of the DNA strands make up the outside of the helix, while the nitrogenous bases are found on the inside and form hydrogen-bonded pairs that hold the DNA strands together. Other topics covered include DNA replication, RNA transcription, and RNA translation. Part of the "Biology" series.
Explores the need for many multicellular plants to have specialized internal transport systems, which are systems that can efficiently distribute materials from soil and leaves to the parts of the plants where they are needed. An overview of how plants obtain their nutrients is provided. The structure and function of root hairs is explored, explaining their remarkable ability to facilitate an enormous uptake of water and dissolved minerals for the plant. Following this, the separate transport systems of the xylem and phloem are explored in detail. Also explains the mechanisms by which vascular plants transport water and minerals upward from the roots as well as sugars from leaves and other sugar sources throughout the plant for storage or for growth and repair.
The heart is the most symbolic organ of the human body. Across history, it has been seen as the source of emotions and the center of human existence. However, by the seventeenth century, scientific understanding overturned historical ideas, and the heart was recognized merely as a mechanical pump. More recently, Professor David Paterson from the University of Oxford has been doing extensive research that challenges this view. He has discovered that the heart has millions of specialized neurons just like those that are in the brain. Neurons are the cells that give humans the ability to think. So what does their presence in the heart mean?
Takes viewers to an inner city high school where students had serious discipline and learning problems. More than half of the eighth and ninth grade students here were diagnosed with ADHD, and many worked at fourth grade level. The teacher, Allison Cameron, discovered the groundbreaking research by the Harvard Professor of Psychiatry, John J. Ratey, M.D. (author of "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain"), showing a link between sustained aerobic activity and the brain's ability to grow new cells. Allison also learned that Napierville High School in the Chicago area, which began exercise programs 18 years ago, has one of the best academic records in the U.S.
What happens when an organism can't perform aerobic cellular respiration because oxygen isn't available? Explore fermentation with Pinky and Petunia. This episode focuses on alcoholic fermentation and lactic acid fermentation. Part of "The Amoeba Sisters" series.
The cochlear implant is widely considered to be the most successful neural prosthetic on the market. The implant, which helps individuals who are deaf perceive sound, translates auditory information into electrical signals that go directly to the brain, bypassing cells that don't serve this function as they should because they are damaged. Led by engineer Pamela Bhatti at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a team of researchers at both Georgia Tech and the Georgia Regents University created a new type of interface between the device and the brain that could dramatically improve the sound quality of the next generation of implants.
The Magic School Bus is an award winning animated children’s television series based on the book series of the same title by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. It is notable for its use of celebrity talent and being both highly entertaining and educational. At this year's Teacherathalon, Ms. Frizzle squares off with Mr. Sinew, a muscle-bound gym teacher. Sinew easily wins the first of the three events. Thinking there's a problem, the kids go inside Ms. Frizzle to check her out. The bus takes them through her lungs to the bloodstream, where they get pumped through her heart to her calf muscle. But when Frizzle's leg muscle collapses from the strain of winning the second event, the kids discover that her red blood cells can't get oxygen to her muscles fast enough. Can the kids help Frizzle recover in time to win the final race?
Climb aboard the Cyclops, a microscopic research vessel, and investigate an amazing hidden world on which all living things depend. The Cyclops houses a team of scientists known as the Micronauts and guides them through their discoveries of biological classification, diversity, and ecology. In this episode, the crew continues to observe a variety of bacteria. They discover that bacteria is the food of choice for large single celled protists in the pond. Their observations lead them to make conclusions about the food chain found in the pond. Part 6 of the Microscopic Monsters Series.
The story of the coelacanth shows how natural history collections can yield answers and inspire questions for hundreds of years. Ichthyology Curator Melanie L. J. Stiassny presents the ultimate fish tale and offers a primer on specimen prep. Part of the "Shelf Life" series.
Climb aboard the Cyclops, a microscopic research vessel, and investigate an amazing hidden world on which all living things depend. The Cyclops houses a team of scientists known as the Micronauts and guides them through their discoveries of biological classification, diversity, and ecology. While navigating the dense aquatic weed forest of the pond, the Cyclops is pulled off course by a hydra. After escaping its tentacles, the crew begins to study how the hydra reproduces, captures its food, and digests its prey. One of the Micronauts takes a journey inside the hydra’s digestive system to get a first-hand account of the digestive process. Part 4 of the Microscopic Monsters Series.
Are humans the accidental products of an uncaring universe? Or are they the beneficiaries of a cosmic order that was planned beforehand to help them flourish? This documentary explores growing evidence from physics, chemistry, biology, and related fields that our universe was designed for large multi-cellular beings like ourselves. Geneticist and author Michael Denton investigates the special properties of carbon, water, and oxygen that make human life and the life of other organisms possible.
Showing collections 1 to 4 of 4
Biology related concepts
A collection containing 59 resources, curated by Benetech
Resources to teach younger students about animals
A collection containing 58 resources, curated by DIAGRAM Center
Resources related to vision
A collection containing 12 resources, curated by Charles LaPierre
A collection of Chemistry related resources
A collection containing 67 resources, curated by Benetech
