From PBS Terra. The denim in your closet is older than you think! Fascinating Fails host Maren Hunsberger explains how denim was created, and where the word originated from!

From PBS Terra. Take the PBS Digital Studios Audience Survey: https://to.pbs.org/2024SurveyWTHR There is a mysterious cold blob in the North Atlantic that could be a warning sign that the largest heat transfer system on the planet, the AMOC, is on the brink of collapse. But it turns out that the AMOC’s collapse is a highly…

From PBS Terra. Warfarin, now a life-saving drug, has a wild history rooted in accidents and unexpected science. Fascinating Fails host Maren Hunsberger shares how a deadly problem turned into a medical breakthrough!

From PBS Terra. Record high temperatures and deep freezes, historic droughts and intense rains and floods. Why was 2024 such a weird weather year? And can we expect more of these extremes in 2025? Maiya May explains. Weathered: Earth’s Extremes is now streaming on the PBS App https://to.pbs.org/WTHR2

From PBS Terra. In 1945, Percy Spencer accidentally melted the chocolate in his pocket while he was testing a magnetron. However, this sweet mistake led to the creation of one of our favorite kitchen appliances: the microwave. Fascinating Fails host Maren Hunsberger tells the story!

From PBS Terra. The 1700 Cascadia earthquake and tsunami was a massive natural disaster that reshaped the Pacific Northwest. Through tree rings, soil layers, and international collaboration, scientists have pieced together the exact timing of the event. As the region braces for another quake, can we prepare in time? Find out how new models and…

From PBS Terra. Eunice Foote was the first American woman to publish research in physics, a passionate advocate for women’s rights, and the inventor of the greenhouse effect. So why don’t we know more about her? (We couldn’t even find a painting or photo!) Fascinating Fails Host Maren Hunsberger tells her story.

From PBS Terra. Energy experts have been predicting a solar energy plateau for years, and yet each the plateau has not come, and use of solar energy continues to rise. Maiya May explains Weathered: Earth’s Extremes is now streaming on the PBS App https://to.pbs.org/WTHR2

From PBS Terra. Leeches are still used in modern medicine today for life-saving procedures! Host Maren Hunsberger explains how these fascinating creatures help with blood flow, anesthesia, and more. Special thanks to the Old Operating Theatre for providing the leech talent featured in this video!

From PBS Terra. Another astonishing byproduct of human industry and consumption. And another inspiring effort at renewal…. Hosted by Joe Hanson from Be Smart, Overview uses stunning 4k drone footage to reveal the natural and human made marvels shaping our planet–from a 10,000-foot view–literally. ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support…

From PBS Terra. Arctic sea ice is melting at record levels throwing global weather into chaos and contributing to extreme warming. There are three MAJOR climate systems that may be approaching their tipping points, and their future depends, in part, on the existence of Arctic sea ice. But, the Arctic is warming nearly four times…

From PBS Terra. If you follow climate news, you’ve probably read many articles about the AMOC – the weather system which is the largest heat transfer on earth and affects much the world’s climate. But what do we really know about it? Weathered: Earth’s Extremes is now streaming on the PBS App https://to.pbs.org/WTHR2

From PBS Terra. When Swiss engineer George de Mestral picked burrs out of his dog’s fur, he discovered what exactly made them so sticky. After his discovery, he created a synthetic version of what we know today as Velcro! Host Maren Hunsberger shares the full story.

From PBS Terra. Get the PBS App to watch Weathered: Earth’s Extremes for free starting Oct. 2nd! https://to.pbs.org/PBSAppWeathered If you’re outside of the US and want to watch the show, you can check it out on PBS.org: https://to.pbs.org/WeatheredINTL The Weathered crew traveled all over the US and abroad to answer pressing questions about our changing…

From PBS Terra. Take the PBS Digital Studios annual survey: https://to.pbs.org/2024SurveyOverview In its prime, Cahokia was a prosperous city with a population similar to London’s. But this sprawling Native American metropolis from the Mississippian culture vanished long before Europeans arrived in North America. What happened? This Indigenous city’s enigmatic rise and fall has inspired countless…

From PBS Terra. You have scientist Constantin Fahlberg to thank for your favorite sweet treats! By accidentally getting residue in his mouth after working in his lab, Fahlberg discovered what we use as artificial sweeteners today. However, don’t try taste-testing at home kids! (Unless it’s geology.) Hear the story from host Maren Hunsberger.

From PBS Terra. Maiya May got to test out an electric plane flight simulator, and discusses the future of this technology. What are the challenges, how close are we to solving them, and what would electric planes mean for our efforts to decarbonize? Weathered: Earth’s Extremes is now streaming on the PBS App https://to.pbs.org/WTHR2

From PBS Terra. When the world’s ice sheets formed, they trapped carbon inside them, and by studying samples of ancient ice, we can learn a lot about the earth’s climate history. As well as predicting what this could mean for our climate’s future. Maiya May explains Weathered: Earth’s Extremes is now streaming on the PBS…

From PBS Terra. Get the PBS App to watch Weathered: Earth’s Extremes for free! https://to.pbs.org/PBSAppWeathered If you’re outside of the US and want to watch the show, you can check it out on PBS.org: https://to.pbs.org/WeatheredINTL We know that the Urban Heat Island Effect can make cities particularly vulnerable to extreme heat, but a new study…

From PBS Terra. The weak adhesive on a Post-it was originally meant to be used in the aerospace industry (fail). Due to its weak nature, the adhesive wasn’t considered useful for the first 12 years after its invention. Host Maren Hunsberger shares the story of how this adhesive eventually became more valuable to the world…

From PBS Terra. Greenland is mostly melting from the top down. Antarctica, on the other hand, is mostly melting from the bottom up. Maiya May explains why this is happening, and what it could mean for our planet’s oceans. Weathered: Earth’s Extremes is now streaming on the PBS App https://to.pbs.org/WTHR2

From PBS Terra. In September 2024, parts of the Sahara Desert flooded. But isn’t the Sahara supposed to be one of the driest places on Earth? (That’s a rhetorical question). So why did this happen? Will it happen again? What does it mean? Maiya May explains Weathered: Earth’s Extremes is now streaming on the PBS…

From PBS Terra. Play-Doh wasn’t always a kid’s toy. It was originally created by a cleaning product company and used to pick up dirt from wallpaper! But how and why did its use change over time? Fascinating Fails host Maren Hunsberger shares the origin story! Original Production Funding Provided by National Science Foundation – Grant…