MinuteEarth - Minute Earth

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Earth Sciences
**MinuteEarth – Minute Earth**

From the creators of the popular science show with millions of YouTube subscribers comes the MinuteEarth podcast. Every episode of the show dives deep into a science question you might not even know you had – but once you hear the answer, you’ll want to share it with everyone you know. Our team of scientists digs into the research and breaks it down into a short, entertaining explanation jam-packed with science facts and terrible puns. We’ll tell the incredible story of how monkeys crossed the Atlantic ocean on natural rafts, and we’ll explain why it gets hotter the deeper you dig underground.

Latest Episodes:

Opossum vs. Possum May 31, 2025

Show notes

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Extinction Happening Inside You May 30, 2025

Show notes

To learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords:

Extinction: the termination of a kind of organism or group of kinds, usually a species
Endangered: a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future
Microbiome: a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and protists) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body
Hunter-gatherer: a member of a culture in which food is obtained by hunting, fishing, and foraging rather than by agriculture or animal husbandry
Prevotella: a genus of bacteria most commonly found in the microbiome of people who eat a plant-rich diet
DDT: an aromatic organochlorine sometimes used as insecticide banned in the U.S. that tends to accumulate and persist in ecosystems and has toxic effects on many vertebrates
C. diff: (short for Clostridium difficile) a toxin-producing bacterium which can infect the bowel, causing illness with diarrhea and fever, especially in people who have been treated with antibiotics
Antibiotics: an antibacterial substance (such as penicillin, cephalosporin, and ciprofloxacin) that is used to treat or prevent infections by killing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria in or on the body
Probiotics: a microorganism that when consumed (as in a food or a dietary supplement) maintains or restores beneficial bacteria to the digestive tract

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Work From Home as a Team May 29, 2025

Show notes

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How To Name A Disease (Like COVID-19) May 28, 2025

Show notes

To learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords:

Coronaviruses (CoV): a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as COVID-19.
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): an infectious disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus that was discovered in 2019 and named a pandemic in 2020.
2009 H1N1 Flu: a pandemic disease that emerged in 2009 caused by the H1N1)pdm09 virus, which was different from any other influenza strain circulating at the time.
World Health Organization (WHO): an organization that directs and coordinates international health within the United Nations system.
1918 Flu: often referred to as the “Spanish flu,” the 1918 influenza pandemic was the most severe pandemic in recent history and caused by an H1N1 virus. There are competing theories for its place of origin, but public health experts agree it did not actually originate in Spain.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It was first named “gay-related immunodeficiency disease (GRID),” despite the fact anyone, regardless of sexuality, is susceptible.
Stigma: a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.
Pandemic: the worldwide spread of a new disease.

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Don't More Animals Eat Wood? May 27, 2025

Show notes

To learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords:

Xylophagy: the eating of wood
Lignin: a class of complex organic polymers that form key structural materials in the support tissues of vascular plants and help make wood rigid.
Cellulose: a polysaccharide consisting of chains of glucose monomers, which is the main constituent of plant cell walls.
Lignin oxidation: a depolymerization method to break bonds in lignin molecules such as ether or carbon–carbon bonds by applying an oxidant such as oxygen.
Depolymerization: the process of breaking down a polymer, such as lignin, into simpler monomers
Trichonympha agilis: a specialized protist that lives in the hindguts of many termite species that breaks down the cellulose in the wood they eat and may contribute to the lignin oxidation process.

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where Does One Ocean End And Another Begin? May 26, 2025

Show notes

To learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords:

IHO: International Hydrographic Organization

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Categorize Marsupials May 25, 2025

Show notes

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vulture Food May 24, 2025

Show notes

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How This River Made Chimps Violent May 23, 2025

Show notes

To learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords:

Chimpanzee: A great ape native to tropical Africa that is one of humanity’s closest living relatives.
Bonobo: A slightly smaller great ape native to tropical Africa that is one of humanity’s closest living relatives.
Speciation: A lineage-splitting event in which a population of the same species becomes two different species.
Allopatric speciation: Speciation that occurs when populations of the same species get isolated geographically.
Hominini: The taxonomical classification that includes humans, chimps, and bonobos.
Pan: The taxonomical classification that includes chimps and bonobos.
Chimpobo: A name we just made up to identify the common ancestor of the chimpanzee and bonobo.
Congo river: The deepest river in the world and the second largest (behind the Amazon) in discharge volume.
G-G Rubbing: A form of genital to genital contact bonobos sometimes use to form social bonds.

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fastest-Growing Plant In The World May 22, 2025

Show notes

To learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords:

Rhizome: a continuously growing horizontal underground stem which puts out lateral shoots and roots at intervals
Vacuole: an organelle within the cytoplasm of a cell, enclosed by a membrane and typically containing fluid, whose main purpose in plants is to maintain pressure against the cell wall
Microfibrils: fiber-like strands consisting of glycoproteins and cellulose that make up the cell wall structure
Auxin: a plant hormone which causes the elongation of cells in shoots and is involved in regulating plant growth

MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://neptunestudios.info⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you like what we do, you can help us!

- Become our patron: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our merch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://dftba.com/minuteearth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Buy our book: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://minuteearth.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Sign up to our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://news.minuteearth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Share with your friends and family

- Leave us a comment (we read them!)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices