Be Smart.

Joe Hanson

We give you deep answers to simple questions about science and the rest of the universe. And also dad jokes. Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, PhD. He's a molecular biologist and an award-winning science communicator and journalist

  1. 2 MIN AGO

    Visiting the Largest Bat Colony on Earth!

    Check out the largest gathering of mammals on Earth! Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Visit Bat Conservation International to learn more about these amazing species and what we can do to protect them: http://batcon.org/ Thanks to Dr. Sharon Swartz and Dr Kenny Breuer from Brown University for use of their wind tunnel footage: http://www.brown.edu/Departments/EEB/EML/ Mexican free-tailed bats hunt at higher altitudes than any other bat: http://bit.ly/10e5Zpe Doppler radar shows bats intercepting the moth invasion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvENxTke4Sc Dr. Aaron Corcoran's research on moths jamming bat echolocation (plus VIDEOS!) http://www.sonarjamming.com/ Rainforest regrowth and seed dispersal by bats: http://bit.ly/1nzOBpN Some bats are able to create lift more efficiently than birds: http://www.livescience.com/1245-bats-efficient-flyers-birds.html White nose syndrome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_nose_syndrome Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editing/Motion Graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Dalton Allen - Post-production Intern Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

    5 min
  2. 6 HR AGO

    The Physics of Space Battles

    How scientifically accurate is your favorite sci-fi space battle? Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Joseph Shoer has several extensive, in-depth articles on the physics of space warfare: http://josephshoer.com/blog/2009/12/thoughts-on-space-battles/ http://josephshoer.com/blog/2010/07/projecting-space-battle-physics/ Space warfare: Almost everything you know is probably wrong http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.100198-Space-Warfare-Almost-Everything-You-Know-Is-Probably-Wrong Is space warfare really practical? http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.846407-Is-space-warfare-really-practical-except-lasers Zero-g dogfighting for dummies: http://www.citizenstarnews.com/news/zero-g-dogfighting-dummies Projectile weapons vs. directed energy weapons: http://forum.gateworld.net/threads/17263-Projectile-Weapons-vs-Directed-Energy-Weapons Nukes in space: http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/spacegunconvent.php Effects of radiation weapons in space: http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/radiation.php#effects Could the Death Star really destroy a planet? http://www.universetoday.com/92746/could-a-death-star-really-destroy-a-planet/ "Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest son of a b***h in space" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLpgxry542M Produced for PBS Digital Studios Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews/Kirby Conn Gaffers - John Knudsen/Philip Sheldon Post-production intern - Dalton Allen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

    6 min
  3. 8 HR AGO

    How Artist Claude Monet Was Kind Of Like a Honeybee

    PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateOKAY ↓ More info and sources below ↓ The famous painter who was half-honeybee Don’t miss our next video! SUBSCRIBE! ►► http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Claude Monet had a very unique eye, and it can teach us a bit about the science of vision More reading: Monet's Eye at Download the Universe: http://www.downloadtheuniverse.com/dtu/2012/04/monets-ultraviolet-eye.html Simulation of Monet's Cataracts: http://archopht.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=418859#MONET More: http://petapixel.com/2012/04/17/the-human-eye-can-see-in-ultraviolet-when-the-lens-is-removed/ http://www.skepticalartist.com/2013/06/25/claude-monet-and-ultraviolet-light-did-the-master-impressionist-painter-have-uv-supervision/ Music: Johann Sebastian Bach - Goldberg Variations (From The Open Goldberg Variations, by Kimiko Ishizaka ----------------- Have an idea for an episode or an amazing science question you want answered? Leave a comment below! Follow me on Twitter: @jtotheizzoe Email me: itsokaytobesmart AT gmail DOT com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmart For more awesome science, check out: http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen Inc Kate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Andrew Matthews - Editor and motion graphics John Knudsen - Gaffer Produced for PBS Digital Studios ----------- Last week's video: The Science of Snowflakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUot7XSX8uA More videos: The Universe In A Glass of Wine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3_n7TDL7lc Why We Cook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpfwu__PF7Y Ghosts of Evolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWW5OuxlKec

    5 min
  4. 10 HR AGO

    The SCIENCE of BEER!!!

    Is beer the perfect beverage? Let's see what science says... Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/PBSDSDonate Subscribe to It's Okay To Be Smart: http://bit.ly/iotbs_sub Big thank you to Jester King Brewery in Austin, TX: http://jesterkingbrewery.com/ The chemistry of beer flavors: http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/07/10/beerchemicals/ Uncorking the past, a history of alcoholic beverages: http://www.economist.com/node/883706 Domestication of grain in near east: http://www.nature.com/nrg/journal/v3/n6/abs/nrg817.html Alcohol and social complexity in ancient western Asia: http://alexanderjoffe.net/alcohol.pdf Finally, a weird Dutch Heineken ad from the 1950's about sending beer to the moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I03AxY5gA8I Joe Hanson - Host and writer Joe Nicolosi - Director Amanda Fox - Producer, Spotzen IncKate Eads - Associate Producer Katie Graham - Director of Photography Editing/Motion Graphics - Andrew Matthews Gaffer - John Knudsen Post-production intern - Dalton Allen Theme music: "Ouroboros" by Kevin MacLeod Stock images via Shutterstock ----------- Join us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/itsokaytobesmart Twitter http://www.twitter.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.twitter.com/okaytobesmart Instagram http://www.instagram.com/DrJoeHanson http://www.instagram.com/okaytobesmart Merch https://store.dftba.com/collections/its-okay-to-be-smart Facebook https://www.facebook.com/itsokaytobesmartpbs/

    6 min

About

We give you deep answers to simple questions about science and the rest of the universe. And also dad jokes. Be Smart is hosted by Joe Hanson, PhD. He's a molecular biologist and an award-winning science communicator and journalist