Skip to main content
Back to Show
It's Okay to Be Smart

The Deadly Chemistry That Made Life Interesting

Season 11 Episode 10

Life’s been around on Earth for at least 3.7 billion years. But for most of that time, it was incredibly boring — just simple little cells squirming around in water. It only got interesting in the last few hundred million years. And that might never have happened without the help of a deadly, but also life-giving, element.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By
Season
How Much Of You Is Alive?
12:05
There are parts of you that are living and dying at the same time. We find out how much.
Why Is Sex a Thing?
12:31
We explore the evolutionary enigma of sex and its existence.
A Brief (Scientific) History of Butts
12:27
This episode is about the science and evolutionary history of...butts.
How Your Brain Makes Its Own Electricity
18:46
How do the neurons in our brain work? Find out here!
Why Are We Warm-Blooded?
11:18
Here's the science behind why humans are warm-blooded.
How Ocean Currents Work (and How We Are Breaking Them)
12:38
This could have devastating effects on our future.
The Transcontinental Burrito Hypertunnel
11:57
We dug a classic doc that tells the story of the transcontinental burrito hypertunnel.
What is Impossible in Evolution?
19:29
We explore all the questions that teach us what's possible in evolution!
The Golden Ratio: Is It Myth or Math?
22:36
Let's find out exactly what is it!
When Is Now?
20:26
Let’s journey from Einstein’s thought experiments about relativity to answer it.
Visualizing Herd Immunity
14:49
We use lots and lots of mousetraps and ping-pong balls to show how this works.
Why Do We Lie?
16:43
Explore why we lie if we’re supposed to be the most socially developed species on Earth?
Active loading indicator