About

Join a Senior Scientist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory on a 24-episode exploration of shocking truths about some of science's most well-known (and often controversial) concepts.

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Episodes

1. What the World Gets Wrong about Science

33m

Start your journey through some of the most jarring misconceptions of science with this introductory look at the nature of science itself. You'll examine ways the scientific method deviates from the way it's taught, the true definitions of terms like "theory" and "model," and the relationship science shares with philosophy.

2. Franklin's Kite and Other Electrifying Myths

27m

It turns out the usual story of Benjamin Franklin's discovery of electricity using just a kite and a key isn't exactly true. Get the real story behind this and other misunderstandings about electricity and reframe the way you think about how electricity w

3. The Ideal Gas Law (It's Not Ideal)

29m

Here, Professor Lincoln reveals the ways in which common teachings about gases and their properties are idealizations that ignore important considerations such as the size of atoms. Topics include the limitations of the Ideal Gas Law (PV=nRT) and the impo

4. From the Ground Up: How Flying Works

28m

Get a whirlwind introduction to the scientific truths about how planes fly through the air. This episode overturns the (often-very-wrong) way flight is taught in introductory physics classes and focuses on two relevant subjects involved in flight: air cir

5. From the Sky Down: How Falling Works

27m

Introductory physics classes tell you that a ball thrown on the surface of the earth follows a parabola. What happens when you take away the simplifying assumptions in this scenario? How do we factor in air resistance and the Earth's rotation? What happen

6. Myths of Orbital Motion

32m

In this episode, revisit some of the common misconceptions we have about how the universe works, with a focus on our solar system. Two myths you'll bust: that the orbits of planets are all fixed ellipses and that astronauts on the International Space Stat

7. What's Inside Atoms?

29m

Discover a very different idea about the real essence of matter as it relates to the molecules and atoms of chemistry. Learn to think about matter as entirely empty space, not tiny balls; consider the inside of a proton and neutron; and ponder the questio

8. The Truth Is In Here: The Science of Aliens

30m

There are some popular misconceptions about alien life that science fiction writers have said often enough that we take them to be likely or true. But are they? Professor Lincoln unpacks the possibility of silicon-based life and truths about the Drake equ

9. Misconceptions about Evolution

31m

It's often the misconceptions about evolution that lead people to not believe in it. This episode tackles four prevalent myths about the theory of evolution: that it explains how life began, that it states humans descended from chimpanzees, that evolution

10. Nutrition's All About Youâ€"and Your Gut Biome

32m

How do misconceptions about nutrition spread? What if what you learned about digestion isn't the entire story? In this episode, examine the unseemly alliance between science, advertisers, and the media; and make sense of the important role that a fascinat

Extended Details

SeriesUnderstanding the Misconceptions of Science

Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great CoursesDirector

The Great CoursesProducer

Don LincolnActor

Understanding the Misconceptions of Science

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Episodes

Extended Details

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