Rose Eveleth explains what makes certain foods spicy and how the human body reacts to that heat.
Enjoy!
When you take a bite of a hot pepper, your body reacts as if your mouth is on fire — because that’s essentially what you’ve told your brain! Rose Eveleth details the science and history behind spicy foods, giving insights into why some people continue to pay the painful price for a little spice.
Lesson by Rose Eveleth, animation by Flaming Medusa Studios Inc.
How do we smell?
Good question.
Thankfully, Rose Eveleth of TED-Ed explains on the gooey and stinky details on how the nose and olfactory work in this educational animation.
Dr. Nicole Avena explains how sugar affects the brain.
Enjoy!
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. Nicole Avena explains why sweets and treats should be enjoyed in moderation.
The Evolution Of Modern Bird Feathers:
To look at the evolution of modern bird feathers, we must start a long time ago, with the dinosaurs from whence they came. We see early incarnations of feathers on dinosaur fossils, and remnants of dinosaurs in a bird’s wish bone. Carl Zimmer explores the stages of evolution and how even the reasons for feathers have evolved over millions of years.