MinuteEarth
No question is too complicated for this animated series.
MinuteEarth gives complex answers to common questions about our planet. You may have wondered how tall a mountain can grow, how seashells form, or why bacteria-filled foods like cheese don’t make us sick. To answer questions like these, MinuteEarth dives deep into geology, chemistry, and biology. Clever, time-lapsed illustrations accompany narration that doesn’t shy away from sophisticated concepts. In the episode about how tall mountains can grow, MinuteEarth explains plate tectonics, density, erosion, weathering, and convection—all in under two minutes.
I love MinuteEarth’s ability to relate huge, abstract concepts to familiar reference points. To explain why the inside of the Earth is hot, MinuteEarth compares the Earth to a slowly cooling baked potato. In another episode about Earth’s history, they convey the magnitude of geological time by mapping it to how long your hair would have grown during each stage of Earth’s development. MinuteEarth is great for older kids, but please note that some episodes may not be appropriate for all audiences. Use your discretion with your family!
