Video Electives

Spark your intellectual curiosity with these original, thought-provoking videos. Watch, learn, share, debate. Only through questioning the world around us, can we come to better understand it.

  • Practical Math: How to Take a Punch

    Taking a punch is all about transfer of momentum. The momentum from the fist hitting you will be transferred to your body unless you do something about it.

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  • TL;DR Atlas Shrugged

    Having witnessed the Communist conquest that shook her native Russia, Rand had quite a bit to say about the merits of capitalism, freedom, and self-interest. Atlas Shrugged solidified the divisive ideology she called Objectivism.

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  • TL;DR Fahrenheit 451

    Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 at the height of McCarthyism. Today, with the increasing proliferation of surveillance equipment in American cities, the spread of digital books and the decline of attention spans, Fahrenheit 451 remains a startlingly relevant work of fiction today.

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  • The Internet Knows Bitcoin

    Bitcoin is everywhere these days and is gaining traction as more retailers accept this virtual currency. But what is it, and how do you get it? Watch this Academic Earth video and gain a better understanding of bitcoin as explained by Reddit contributor, Artesian.

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  • Born Republican? Born Democrat?

    Is our political ideology simply the result of a genetic coin toss? Mounting evidence suggests that biology may be a factor. In this video, Academic Earth explores some of the key research into the biology of politics.

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  • How the Internet is Changing Your Brain

    Given the ubiquity of Google, is memory obsolete? Academic Earth dares to ask, how is such easy access to information affecting our brains as we rely less and less on memory and more on technology?

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  • Too Many Too Soon: The Anti-Vaccine Fallacy

    Many well-meaning parents wonder if the current vaccine schedule is too aggressive. Academic Earth presents an argument against the "too many too soon," illustrating that kids are tougher than you might think.

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  • How the End of World War II Made Us Fat

    The American economy took off following the end of World War II, fattening both our wallets and our waistlines. In this video, Academic Earth examines the post-war boom that busted our seams.

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  • The Psychology of the Internet Troll

    What makes an Internet troll tick? In a word - disinhibition. Academic Earth illustrates how anonymity contributes to the online disinhibition effect, illuminating the psyche of the these anonymous troublemakers.

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  • The Economic Cost of Obesity

    Americans consume 25% more calories today than in the 70s, so it's easy to dismiss obesity as a disease of luxury, but this isn't true. Academic Earth explains obesity as a class issue enabled by American food policies.

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  • Intro to the English Romantics

    Academic Earth asks you to rethink romance in our introduction to the English Romantics. These poets celebrated emotion over reason, stood in awe of nature's majesty, and certainly weren't afraid to shake things up.

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