TELEVISION

Understanding the Misconceptions of Science

Series: Understanding the Misconceptions of Science
3.6
(5)
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Episodes
24
Rating
TVPG
Year
2019
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

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.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1 to 3 of 24

1. What the World Gets Wrong about Science

33m

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

Extended Details

  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great Coursesdirector
The Great Coursesproducer
Don Lincolnactor