salem6sci

The story of how the space missions evolved from the X-15 fighter jet in 1959 to get people into space is explained. The programs began with the Mercury missions: 7 men were selected to carry the first astronaut into space "on top of a rocket capsule". There was a rush because of competition with Russia: initially not much was known (a) whether the rockets would work, and (b) whether man could survive in space. At the beginning an ape called "Ham" was the first animal that flew. Eventually Alan Shepard was selected, BUT it is learned that the Soviet Union had been the first nation to put a man in space: Yuri Gagarin.

In this spell-binding series, Professor Brian Cox visits some of the most stunning locations on Earth to describe how the laws of nature have carved natural wonders across the Solar System.

Science expert Emerald Robinson explains what a solar eclipse is.To view over
15,000 other how-to, DIY, and advice videos on any topic, visit

Science expert Emerald Robinson explains what a lunar eclipse is and how it
happens.To view over 15,000 other how-to, DIY, and advice videos on any topic,

Discover one of the most unique hunters of the plant kingdom, and witness how the cobra lily (Darlingtonia californica) uses deception and patience to trick unsuspecting insect prey into its highly specialized pitcher traps.

A really neat livestream of the Katmai falls on the Brooks river in Alaska where a hundred brown bears gather each year to feed on salmon.

A collection of Nat Geo photos of galaxies.

A nice Nat Geo map showing the Milky Way Galaxy and our position inside of it.

A great video comparing the size of different planets and stars.

It's the roadway of the future! Feel inspired? Help us bring this project to the next step:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/so...

Check out our other videos for more info!

When the moon passes through the Earth's shadow, it causes the moon to look very unusual for a short period of time. This event is called a lunar eclipse, and it occurs roughly twice a year. There's one viewable to folks outside of North America on June 15, so sit back and learn more about how lunar eclipses work in this video!

NASA Sci Files segment explaining the phases of the moon and how they are created.

A really interesting video that can be used to teach natural selection. Discusses many of the behaviors of plants that help them to survive, thrive and reproduce.

Will we be able to feed the Earth's growing population with the amount of tillable soil that we have left?

Later this year, Europe's Rosetta probe will orbit and land on comet 67P/Churyumov--Gerasimenko. New images of the comet show that it will be a lively place when Rosetta arrives.

Solar power is cheaper and more sustainable than our current coal-fueled power plants, so why haven't we made the switch? The real culprits here are the clouds, which make solar power difficult to control. Alexandros George Charalambides explains how solar towers and panels create electricity and how scientists are trying to create a system that can function even under cloud cover.

Europe's Rosetta probe has arrived at a comet after a 10-year chase.

In a first for space history, the spacecraft was manoeuvred alongside a speeding body to begin mapping its surface in detail.

The spacecraft fired its thrusters for six and a half minutes to finally catch up with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

"We're at the comet!" said Sylvain Lodiot of the European Space Agency (Esa) operations centre in Germany.

"After 10 years, five months and four days travelling towards our destination, looping around the Sun five times and clocking up 6.4 billion km, we are delighted to announce finally 'we are here'," said Jean-Jacques Dordain, director general of Esa.

Joining Curiosity and Opportunity in 2020, the rover's payload will carry instruments that will cost about $130 million to develop. One of the major goals of NASA's next Mars rover is to process the atmosphere's carbon dioxide into oxygen for human breathing and potentially to oxidize rocket fuel. Scientists also hope to collect rock and soil samples that a future mission could bring back to Earth.

Bring science to life at the touch of a fingertip. Download the latest iBooks Textbooks from KQED! Explore STEM topics and careers through real-world examples. Designed to engage learners through a blend of high-quality media, interactive elements and informative text, the books and accompanying iTunes U courses offer rich learning experiences both in and out of the classroom.

One of the rarest and most exciting events in space exploration is when we land on another celestial body and achieve a boots-on-the-ground view of an alien world. Europe's Rosetta mission is now poised to add another extraterrestrial landfall to that very short list, and top a new list as it becomes the first mission to land a probe on a comet.