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Epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene expression caused by non-genetic mechanisms, thus by alterations other than in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic changes can persist throughout an organism's lifetime and be passed on to multiple generations. Site offers 4 part "crash course" in epigenetics

The sun shines a massive amount of energy onto the Earth's surface every day. What if humans could take a cue from plants and use sunlight to make their own food? From chloroplasts to carbon dioxide, Reactions creates a hypothetical photosynthetic human and gives a quick crash course on the chemistry of photosynthesis.

Hank tells us about the team of deadly ninja assassins that is tasked with protecting our bodies from all the bad guys that want to kill us - also known as our immune system.

Hank gives the run down on the top five ways humans are negatively impacting the environment and having detrimental effects on the valuable ecosystem services which a healthy biosphere provides.

12 minute video

It is now time to meet the system that helps your crazy brain stay in touch with the outside world. We follow up last week's tour of the central nervous system with a look at your peripheral nervous system, its afferent and efferent divisions, how it processes information, the reflex arc, and what your brain has to say about pain. Table of Contents Peripheral Nervous System 0:38 Afferent and Efferent Divisions 5:42 Information and Responses to Pain 3:12 Five Steps of the Reflex Arc 4:35 Different Kinds of Reflexes 6:44 What the Brain Says About Pain 8:09

video 13:35, In which Hank does some push ups for science and describes the "economy" of cellular respiration and the various processes whereby our bodies create energy in the form of ATP.

14 minute video using hot pocket analogy for the central dogma

10min In the world of ecology, the only constant is change - but change can be good. Today Hank explains ecological succession and how ecological communities change over time to become beautiful, biodiverse mosaics.

What do you and a sack of batteries have in common? Today, Hank explains. -- Table of Contents: Ion Channels Regulate Electrochemistry to Create Action Potential 4:51 Resting State 3:22 Depolarization 6:09 Repolarization 7:35 Hyperpolarization 8:00

9:30 video Hank & his clone Circus Hank explain the power of epigenetics, which studies the factors that determine how much or whether some genes are expressed in your body.

Last time we put a Polar Bear in the desert and we still feel bad about that, but there's a lot more going on in ecosystems than just temperature. In fact, there are so many elements in ecosystems, that if just one leaves or gets out of whack, it can be terrible for the whole thing. But today, let's talk about Spider Monkeys.