I've only watched two and a half videos so far, but they are detailed (Level 2 and above) and informative and, most importantly, accurate. Each clip is 10-15 minutes long. Here's the one about the immune system.
There also appear to be some crash courses in other things, like History.
I just watched this 10 min video from Qualia Soup about what evolution is, phrased particularly as an argument against people who don't accept it. It has good narration and clear animations to explain important mechanisms of evolution and misconceptions people have about them.
It reminded me that Qualia Soup also has some other good things to say that relate to perception and science:
Bird brains (Nova Science)
We can learn to talk - how? Studying bird brains can help us find out. This video covers the following.
How complex is bird song? Recordings slowed down sound more musical than you think, and have inspired at least one famous composer.
What parts of the brain do birds use when singing and listening to song? The same parts as we use to speak and listen to speech, as revealed by functional MRI.
Do birds stutter? Yes, some do! And the difference in brain function (from normal singing birds) is similar to the differences human stutterers show.
Finding a mutant FOXP2 gene (the language gene) involved in an inherited speech disorder by studying an affected family, and then finding FOXP2 in birds and how it relates to song learning.
The search for other genes that might explan why we can speak, and birds can sing, but other species (e.g. chimps) can't.
AFTERLIFE: THE STRANGE SCIENCE OF DECAY
"Decay: it happens to everything and everyone..."
In this documentary, a biologist sets up a glass box within Edinburgh Zoo and puts lots of stuff in it to see it decay: cooked rice, chilli, cups of tea, a fish, cheese, a fruit bowl, a vegetable box, a raw chicken, sausages, hamburgers, a whole pig on a spit, a compost heap, a wood pile...even a dead rat!
The process of decomposition is observed over a period of 8 weeks using time-lapse cameras and
specialist photography to capture the extraordinary way in which moulds,
microbes and insects are able to break down everyday things and
allow new life to emerge from old.
Why we have coal - plants evolved wood strengthened with lignin well before fungi evolved the ability to digest it and break it down. This meant dead trees ened up lying all over the place, not decaying, and instead vulnerable to burning (especially with all the extra atmospheric oxygen from photosynthesis outpacing respiration). Masses of undecomposed / burnt wood helped to form great deposits of coal. The high oxygen levels also assisted the evolution of large insects, which otherwise have too inefficient gas exchange systems to be able to survive today, and dinosaurs! The end of the age of dinosaurs coincided with a firestorm that probably burned about 25% of the world's forests, leaving less food, less oxygen in the air, and a cooler earth thanks to ash clouds.
CELLS alive - A general microbes information website.
Microbes and food - Information and illustrations about a variety of microbes and their interactions with food, in producing food, spoiling it and causing food poisoning.
Infectious diseases – Pathogens -Good overview with structures and functions of microbes and other info. Includes Bacteria, Fungi (yeast), Viruses; (skip Protozoa and Parasites); How pathogens are spread; How pathogens cause disease; Growth of pathogen populations. Has a quiz at the end.
Decomposition and nutrient cycles
Decay – bacteria and fungi -How decomposers decay things, and how it can be prevented to preserve foods. Info and a Test Bite
Biological compounds activity -Interactive animation on the carbon, oxygen and nitrogen cycles (after an overview of what is in the organic molecules of proteins, carbohydrates and fats). Supported by the text revision and test here.
Fighting disease
Infectious diseases – Immunity -Text resource supported by simple animations showing how various components of the immune system work, and also how vaccines work.Sections include: White blood cells / response to infection; Immune memory; Vaccination; (you can safely ignore Monoclonal antibodies). A quiz at the end.
Defending against infection -Mostly text on bacteria and viruses and fighting disease. Includes a couple of great CG animations on p4 and p5 on how bacteria are fought off by the immune system cells and how vaccination works. Also a bit on antibiotics.
Infectious diseases and their treatment -This interactive e-source about how the body copes with disease allows you to complete summary sheets to check you progress as you go. Pretty thorough and relevant! There are 10 sections in this e-source: Introduction; Pathogens cause disease; Immunity; A bacterial disease – Meningitis; A fungal disease – Candidiasis; A viral disease – SARS; (A protozoic disease – Malaria; you don't need to do this one); Modern medicines of the world; Appendix of diseases; Quiz
Human immune system -This interactive e-source about the immune system allows you to complete summary sheets to check your progress as you go. There are 11 pages in this e-source: Introduction; Pathogens and disease; Barriers to infection; Acquired immunity; Immunisation; Medicines and the immune system; Vaccinations in the UK; Antibiotics; Immune system causes problems; HIV/AIDS; Quiz
See HIV in action -A huge animation file about how AIDS infects the body, showing the “life” sycle of the HIV virus. Possibly slow to load.
Making vaccines -An interactive where you follow the instructions to make 6 different types of vaccines. Wicked!
Fighting back - An interactive animation in which you, playing the role of the immune system, try to figure out how to overcome and infection of the mumps. Also details why AIDS is so devastating.
For interest only:
AIDS:The Modern Pandemic -A resource-filled CBS news site detailing the worldwide prevalence of AIDS. Includes some statistics, an animation of how AIDS affects the body, the history of the disease, a photo essay on its youngest victims and much, much more! A fair bit off-topic though.
How Herd Immunity Works - Why it is important for everyone who can to be vaccinated. A 10 minute video.
Food and what's in it: focus on carbohydrates, proteins and fats
Biological compounds activity -Interactive animation that starts with an an overview of what is in the organic molecules of proteins, carbohydrates and fats (and then goes onto carbon, oxygen and nitrogen cycles, which is useful for the Micro-organisms topic).
Body needs -Are you what you eat? A flash mouse-over animation to investigate your nutritional requirements. Includes details of what you get if you don’t get enough of particular nutrients. Focus on carbohydrates, proteins, lipids
Diet and Digestion -Includes what’s in food, a nice diagram of the digestive system, an animation of peristalsis and a wee bit about physical and chemical digestion. Has an easy and a hard Test Bite at the end.
Organs in the digestive system (mostly in order of usefulness)
Digestion -This interactive e-source about food groups and the digestive system allows you to complete summary sheets to check your progress as you go, and there’s a quiz at the end too. Really quite a good overview, so highly recommended.
Organs of digestion - animation with good step-by-step descriptions of wha's going on in each organ as food moves through. Was one that went with an activity in your booklet.
The real deal on the digestive system -An informative and easy to understand article that leads you through the organs involved. Updated June 2010. Has an animated diagram for a very basic review of structures and functions on page 1.
Food processing -Interactive showing basic processes in a highly no-scientific manner. Good reminder about what is digested where, and how, and by what, though. Pretty basic!
Diet, drugs and health - Very basic overview, maybe even too basic? This Revision Bite covers: Nutrients; Some effects of a poor diet; Digestive system; Digestion and enzymes; Absorption and egestion (plus more).
The Digestion and Absorption of Fats -Step-through or narrated animation. Warning: Pretty complex and thorough, but shows absorption nicely, and includes villi. Shows roles of bile and lipase acting on fat molecules too.
Enzymes and digestion
Enzymes and their uses -Text resource with a few diagrams and animations about enzymes. (Not very interactive!) Includes: Enzymes; Types of enzymes; Enzymes in digestion; The properties of enzymes; How do enzymes work?; Effect of temperature and pH; Uses of enzymes; Immobilised enzymes
Enzymes -Enzymes in general and their role in digestion too. Test Bites for both.
After food has been absorbed
Circulation - about the heart and blood vessels, briefly. Not specific to transporting nutrients.
Life Processes – Respiration and the role of lungs -A quick text overview of respiration and how the lungs are involved. See pages 3, 4 and 5 only. (The rest reviews muscles and bones). Bit much detail on lungs, but a couple of nice animations showing the exchange of CO2 and O2.
Insulin and Glucose Regulation - How hormones from the pancreas regulate the level of sugars in the blood after and between meals. An 'Extra for experts', definitely.
Differences between mammals
A Cow's Digestive System - Explanation of rumination in the first chambers of a cow’s stomach, with animation and narration (as embedded above) 1:35
Skull science - How the skull shape and teeth relate to the diet of various mammals. A brochure-type resource.
