About this season
Take a dive into the tiny, unseen world that surrounds us! With music by Andrew Huang, footage from James Weiss, and narration by Hank Green, we want to take you on a fascinating, reflective journey through the microcosmos.
Episodes (25)
1. We Filmed Tardigrade Sex!
Aired 27 January 2020 • 10 min
In our Season 2 debut, we're diving back into the world of our favorite little water bear friends!
2. The Highs and Lows of Tardigrade Pregnancy
Aired 3 February 2020 • 10 min
Original Title: Our Tardigrade Had Babies!
3. Slime Molds: When Micro Becomes Macro
Aired 10 February 2020 • 10 min
4. How to Identify Microbes
Aired 17 February 2020 • 10 min
When there are over one trillion species, it can be hard to determine what you're looking at on your microscope. Thankfully we've got some helpful tips for you!
5. How Cyanobacteria Took Over The World
Aired 24 February 2020 • 10 min
6. Bacillaria: Distractingly Beautiful Crystal Colonies
Aired 2 March 2020 • 10 min
7. The Microcosmos of the 1800s - The Story of Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg
Aired 10 March 2020 • 10 min
8. How We Find Our Microbes
Aired 16 March 2020 • 10 min
9. The Secret Things Living in Your Aquarium
Aired 23 March 2020 • 10 min
10. Synura: Smelly, Flowery Confetti
Aired 30 March 2020 • 10 min
11. How to Survive the Microcosmos
Aired 7 April 2020 • 10 min
12. What Is the Point of Sex?
Aired 13 April 2020 • 10 min
13. What Are These Vorticella up To?
Aired 20 April 2020 • 10 min
Original Title: 12 Minutes in the Life of Vorticella
14. Water Fleas: Look Weird, Adapt Weirder
Aired 28 April 2020 • 10 min
15. Making Decisions Without a Brain
Aired 4 May 2020 • 10 min
Making decisions can be pretty hard, but imagining trying to do it without a brain!
16. Peritrich Ciliates: Masters of Long-Range Snacking
Aired 11 May 2020 • 10 min
17. The Terrifying Viruses of the Microcosmos
Aired 18 May 2020 • 10 min
Even in the microcosmos, it's important to stay inside if you want to avoid a virus.
18. The Micro World Right Under Your Feet
Aired 25 May 2020 • 10 min
19. Testate Amoebas: Blobby, Modest Shell Dwellers
Aired 1 June 2020 • 10 min
A lot of the microbes we show you are completely naked, but the test amoeba is a bit more modest.
20. Colorless Euglenoids: Structure and Function (and Food)
Aired 15 June 2020 • 10 min
There’s something you probably heard a lot in biology class. And no, it's not “mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell”...
21. The Complicated Legacy of Lynn Margulis
Aired 23 June 2020 • 10 min
The world of microscopy is not without its own controversial figures, today we’re discussing Lynn Margulis and her contributions to the world of science as well as some of her more harmful beliefs.
22. The Microbe You Eat All The Time
Aired 29 June 2020 • 10 min
Yeast: the most coveted microbe during this pandemic. This week we’re taking a close look at the little guys that make up our bread and beer and the vital role they’ve had for thousands of years.
23. How to Name a Microbe
Aired 6 July 2020 • 10 min
There’s a story behind every microbe’s name, and that of the Phacus smulkowskianus is surprisingly sweet.
24. Preserving the History of the Microcosmos With Prepared Slides
Aired 13 July 2020 • 10 min
Sometimes, pictures and videos aren’t enough. Sometimes the best way to share what you’ve seen under the microscope is, well, to share the actual thing you’re looking at.
25. Trying to Make Sense of This Overwhelming World
Aired 20 July 2020 • 10 min
The goal of phylogenetic trees is to track the organisms we know of through their place in evolution.