PBS

Fossils found around the world suggest that multi-cellular life was not only present before the Cambrian Explosion, it was much more elaborate and diverse than anyone thought. This is the story of the sudden burst of diversity that marked the dawn of truly complex life on our planet.

Where did turtles come from? And how did the they get their shells? The answers to these questions would eventually cause scientists to rethink the entire history of reptile evolution.

We traveled to Bozeman, Montana to meet with Dr. Ellen-Thérèse Lamm who explores ancient life by studying it at the cellular level. Kallie and Dr. Lamm discuss how she does this, and what she’s learned by putting dinosaur bones under a microscope.

For decades, one of the most abundant kinds of fossils on Earth, numbering in the millions of specimens, was a mystery to paleontologists. But geologists discovered that these mysterious fossils could basically be used to tell time in the deep past.

Experts are still arguing over whether Archaeopteryx was a true bird, or a paravian dinosaur, or some other kind of dino. But regardless of what side you’re on, how did this fascinating, bird-like animal relate to today’s birds? It turns out its teeth were a clue that this story goes all the way back to what we now call the non-avian dinosaurs.

The ancestors of modern horses became so successful that they spread all over the world, to Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. But in their native range of North America, they’ll vanish for 10,000 years. Until another strange mammal brings them back.

One of the most dynamic, transformative, and potentially dangerous features in North America is also responsible for some of the continent’s most amazing fossil deposits. It’s a supervolcano we now call Yellowstone.

A huge and diverse subfamily of dogs, the bone-crushers patrolled North America for more than thirty million years, before they disappeared in the not-too-distant past. So what happened to the biggest dogs that ever lived?

Cars have become an integral part of American society. While it can feel that buying a new car is granting you new freedom, buying a new car is more likely to take away your freedom and security.

These days, it seems like everyone is making money on the side. Side hustles like ridesharing, room rentals, and selling witty cross stitch patterns are a common occurrence. BUT, is every side hustle worth the time dedicated to them?

It’s not exactly a news flash that college is expensive. Which college majors give you more bang for your buck, and does that compare to doing what you love?

Debt is one of our least favorite things to talk about, and that's one of the main reasons it is so hard to pay them off. BUT researchers have figured out how to rewire your brain to take on the debt monster.

Supermarkets are built with tricks and challenges designed to make you spend more than you planned. But with a little preparation, you can safely avoid them and save money. We have some grocery tips this week!

While science fiction is associated with Mars, robots, and cyberpunk, its origin story is shaped throughout several centuries. Check out the origin of science fiction with Lindsay Ellis!

Love it or hate it, the romance novel is the highest grossing literary genre. Its history is long and winding (like your favorite romance novel), and romance novels are full of tropes reflected upon its history. It has been the subject of intrigue, derision, and shame in literary discourse long before the modern genre as we know it existed.

Nuclear weapons represent the darker side of E=mc^2. Science has given us the ability to understand what will happen if these weapons are ever used again… and what will happen if they are *never* used again.

How does memory work? And how does… un-memory work? Our brain does a lot of remembering and forgetting every day, so you should probably make room for som info on how it works. You’ll also get to meet some people who can’t make memories, and also never forget anything.

Axolotls are special salamanders. Not only to they stay in their juvenile form their whole lives, they can regenerate entire limbs! Studying how they do it could change the way we treat human limb injuries.

Why is Earth is a blue planet? Because it’s covered in water! Where did Earth’s water come from? Of course, water isn’t unique to our planet. The origin of water traces beyond the solar system to the earliest days of the universe. Here’s the story of the galaxy’s H2O.

Make a dancehall riddim out of our Kora sample. If Walshy Fire likes it, you might win a Soundcloud Pro account!

Celebrate independence with an epic mashup: US National Anthem [Star Spangled Banner] + Black National Anthem [Lift Every Voice and Sing]. Download the mashup at: www.beatmakinglab.com/mashup

The first Beat Making Lab was launched at UNC-Chapel Hill in the Fall semester of 2011, as a 3 credit hour course in the music department founded by Dr. Mark Katz (now the chair of the music department) and Stephen Levitin (aka Apple Juice Kid). This episode, shot and edited by UNC student Jon Kasbe for Reese News, shows the on-campus origins of the now international program.

Ben is searching for purpose. Masi is following a dream. From separate islands, yet connected through Hip Hop and Electronic music production, their paths crossed at the Fiji Beat Making Lab.

Welcome to Fiji. Local rapper/producer Dave Lavaki (aka Mr. Grin) explains how they are building a scene 8000 miles away from the music industry.

A man in Fiji hits a PVC pipe with a flip flop, that sound meets a 17-year-old drummer in North Carolina. A beat is created. And around it all, Platinum selling producer Ski Beatz (producer for Jay Z, Camp Lo and Jay Electronica) lets us know why he even samples in the first place.