24 Courses
Submarines
Want to dive into the world of submarines? In this movie, Tim and Moby will teach you everything you’ve ever wanted to know about these sinkin’ submersibles. How is a submarine able to float on the surface of the water one moment, and dive to the bottom of the ocean in the next? You’ll find out! You’ll also learn about the interaction between a sub’s batteries and its engines and how far a submarine can travel without refueling. Plus, you can discover the many parts of a submarine, including propellers, ballast tanks, hydrofoils, and periscopes! Get ready to be 10,000 leagues (okay, maybe slightly fewer) under the sea!
Railroad History
For more than a century, if you wanted to send goods from one state to another, or visit distant friends and relatives, the railroad was pretty much your only option. In this movie, Tim and Moby explain how railways spanned continents, spurred commerce, enabled the settlement of the American West, and even helped the North win the Civil War! You’ll discover how the steam engine--one of the key developments of the Industrial Revolution--led to the design of the first locomotives, and why early British and American railroads proved to be extremely profitable. You’ll find out how an invention called the Bessemer process made building rail lines cheaper and easier, and why the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 led to the end of the “wild frontier.” Finally, you’ll hear how the automobile and interstate highway system led to the decline of the railroad, and how state-of-the-art high-speed trains are helping to bring it back! So buy your ticket, settle into a window seat, click on this movie, and learn!
Global Positioning System
Do you know where you are? Try using GPS to find out! In this movie on the Global Positioning System (GPS), Tim and Moby explain how GPS devices work to fix your location anywhere on the globe. Discover how a system of satellites orbiting more than 20,000 kilometers above the earth allow you to pinpoint your exact location, including latitude, longitude, and altitude, at any time in any place on the planet! You’ll also learn how the satellites communicate with GPS devices to figure out your exact location. The movie is easy to locate — so get ready to find out about GPS!
Fireworks
Ready for some mind-blowing fireworks? In this movie on these colorful blasts, Tim and Moby will teach you all about how fireworks work! You’ll discover the basic properties of fireworks, and how chemicals can produce the colorful explosions you see on holidays like the Fourth of July. You’ll also see what makes a sparkler different from a firecracker, and how aerial fireworks are combination of the two. You’ll even learn about the various components of these incredible explosions, and how different chemicals inside the rockets produce different colors in the sky. Be sure to check this movie out — it’s quite explosive!
Cloning
Should we be worried about a real Attack of the Clones? Join Tim and Moby in this movie, as they teach you about science of cloning! They’ll answer all your big questions, like: What are clones? How do they occur naturally? And how have humans managed to duplicate animals in the lab? You’ll also learn about how farmers have been cloning plants for thousands of years, and how we might one day make new versions of extinct animals! Finally, you’ll get the scoop on some problems with cloning, including the ethical and moral questions it raises; the health problems some cloned animals have; and the possible threats that cloned species pose to the environment. It’s fair to say that Tim leaves no clone unturned in this special report!
Airbags
If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you know what an airbag is. But how do they work? In this movie on airbags, Tim and Moby explain how airbags are able to absorb the force of your body as it’s thrown forward during a crash, and how it protects you from hitting the windshield. You’ll learn about the lightning-quick speed at which airbags deploy, how they use igniters and gas propellant to inflate so quickly, and the importance of always wearing a seatbelt — even in a car with an airbag. So buckle up, and enjoy the movie!
Cars
You’ve gone riding in cars, maybe you’ve even driven a car. But do you have any idea how cars work? In this movie, Tim and Moby break it all down for you, from the engine cylinders to the exhaust pipe. They’ll teach you about the essential components of an automobile, including the transmission, the suspension, the brake system, and the catalytic converter. You’ll also discover how an internal combustion engine works, why a car needs motor oil, and how a car battery isn’t so different from the smaller batteries you have in your house! Finally, Tim and Moby will give you a look at the history of automobiles—and the new developments that lie ahead! Climb in, roll the windows down, and let’s get moving!
Recycling
We all know how to separate our trash for recycling, but do you know what happens after the trucks take it away? Let Tim and Moby acquaint you with the basics in this movie! First off, you'll discover what happens to your used stuff in three different types of recycling plants - paper, aluminum, and plastic! You'll also learn about some of the main reasons why people recycle in the first place. Finally, you'll see why some things are not as easily recycled as others. Reduce, reuse, RECYCLE!!
Waste Management
Where does all your trash go? In this movie on waste management, Tim and Moby tell you all about what happens after you take the trash out. You’ll discover how waste is treated to make it smaller, lighter, and easier to handle; how incineration can reduce waste volume by up to 90 percent; and how composting can create fertilizer for the soil. Plus, you’ll learn about what landfills are and why some of them are good for the environment, why recycling is important, and what waste-to-energy plants do. So don’t just throw away your chance to learn something — watch this movie!
Apollo Project
There may not be a man in the moon, but there have certainly been men on the moon! Find out how it all happened in this BrainPOP movie, as Tim and Moby introduce you to NASA’s famous Apollo Project. Discover what--and who!--prompted the project, and learn why putting a person on the moon was so important. You’ll find out when the goal was achieved, and about the complicated spacecraft that got the men safely to the moon and back. You’ll also hear about a few missions that didn’t turn out so well, and discover why the program ended. There may not be colonies on the moon in your lifetime, but it’s still an impressive achievement!
Cameras
Say cheese! Want to know how pictures get taken? Let Tim and Moby tell you in this BrainPOP movie on cameras! Starting with the basics, they’ll guide you through all the processes that make up photography, from the click of the shutter to the finished picture. Among other things, you’ll learn how a camera lens works like a human eye, how the chemicals that coat film and photographic paper interact with light, and how different types of film produce either black-and-white or color images. This is the movie that every developing photographer should watch!
Laser
Looking for a laser light show? Coming right up! In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby introduce you to the basics of laser technology. You’ll learn what makes up a laser and how a laser beam is a powerful beam of highly focused, coherent light. Discover what a lasing medium is, how laser devices use mirrors to increase the power of the light they emit, and other important details. Plus, see how lasers are used in things like consumer electronics, communications and measuring devices, and delicate medical procedures. Lasers on!
Refrigerator
Hey, is that mold in your fridge or are you just happy to see us? If you’ve ever wondered how a big white box with a plug in the back can keep your milk fresh, check out this BrainPOP movie on refrigerators! In it, Tim and Moby will tell you all you’ve ever wanted to know about how fridges work. You’ll see how a chemical called refrigerant circulates through your refrigerator, and how different metal coils work together to keep the inside of the fridge nice and cold. You’ll even learn why it’s so warm behind a refrigerator. So be sure to check out this refrigerator movie — it’s the coolest!
Microscopes
You’ve probably used microscopes in science class. But how do they enable us to see things we’d never detect with the naked eye? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby will teach you how microscopes employ a combination of convex and concave lenses to magnify objects we want to see up-close! You’ll find out about the different parts of a simple light microscope and discover just how it is that they make small things look big! Plus, you'll learn about some of the more modern telescope types, including electron microscopes and scanning probe microscopes. Hooray for microscopes!
Telescopes
Get a good look into the distance with this BrainPOP movie on telescopes! In it, Tim and Moby will tell you all about these devices and how some of the most common ones work to magnify faraway objects. You'll discover the difference between the two main types of optical telescopes — refractors and reflectors — and you'll also find out some examples of other telescopes in use today! So enjoy our telescope movie! Just don’t be a peeping Tom, okay?
Space Flights
Ever wonder how spaceships leap off the planet and fly into outer space? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby will teach you the basics of space flight! First, you’ll get a brief lesson on the physical forces that send spacecraft zooming into space. Next, you’ll learn some of the main concepts of rocketry, including the all-important force called thrust. You’ll also gain an understanding of the two basic types of rockets and how they work to get spacecraft off the ground. And you’ll learn a bit about various types of spacecraft and the rockets they use to become space-bound. So strap in and get ready for the countdown to begin--this movie is really out of this world!
Skyscrapers
Want to learn how skyscrapers are built to scrape the sky? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby will teach you how these extra-tall buildings are constructed to balance the forces of gravity, tension, and compression! You’ll discover how skyscraper skeletons are formed out of a grid of beams and columns; why they’re made out of lightweight materials like steel; and how a skyscraper’s foundation distributes gravitational force over a wide area so that the building doesn’t collapse. So that’s why King Kong picked the Empire State Building instead of the Carnegie Deli!
Bridges
Looking for an abridged tale on how bridges work? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby will teach you all about them! You’ll see how they’re put together, the distances they can span, and the physical principles behind them. You’ll find out the differences between the three main types of bridges--beam bridges, arch bridges, and suspension bridges. Tim will show you how engineers add special supports called trusses to make bridges stronger. Plus, you’ll also learn how the forces of gravity, tension, and compression act on all bridges. Ready to build a bridge to a smarter you?
Analog & Digital Reording
Analog or digital — which is better? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby teach you about the differences between analog and digital recording technologies! Find out how older, analog recording techniques are based on electromagnetism, and how the music recorded on them is stored as representations of an electric current. You’ll also discover how digital information is stored as bits — long strings of ones and zeroes. Plus, you’ll get to see how sound from your larynx can be recorded! So watch this movie and decide for yourself whether you prefer analog or digital!
Body Scans
Ever wonder how doctors can figure out exactly what’s wrong inside a patient without performing surgery? In this BrainPOP movie on body scans, Tim and Moby introduce you to three devices that have revolutionized the way that doctors make their diagnoses. You’ll learn what a CT scan is, how it works, and how doctors can use it to examine almost any part of the human body. You’ll also find out about magnetic resonance imaging, why an MRI machine is like a giant magnet, and how it can record images from virtually any angle. Plus you’ll learn about PET scans, which trace radioactive chemicals in your body. You’ll see when and how doctors use these tools, and the advantages and disadvantages of each one. There’s a lot to learn about this topic, so click on the movie and get started!
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