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Britannica Explains

In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.

Learn how Kepler's laws analyze ellipses, eccentricity, and angular momentum as part of the physics of the solar system

Learn about Allied and Axis leaders, the Allied invasion of Normandy, and the dropping of atomic bombs

Explore five questions about Shakespeare's life

Learn about the first famous five women for their historic achievements in the field of art, science, and sports

Explore the roles of Marie Curie, Mabel St. Clair Stobart, and Aileen Cole Stewart in World War I

Study the causes of and fallout from the Titanic's striking an iceberg and sinking in the Atlantic Ocean

Know about Queen Anne, monarch of Great Britain and Ireland

Learn about the British East India Company

Learn about the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong

Discover the life of Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, scientist, and historian

Understand the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic

Learn about Robert the Bruce, king of Scotland

Know about the causes and effects of the Reign of Terror

Learn about the history and importance of the Black Panther Party

Learn about the Golgi apparatus and its structure

Discover the purpose and importance of the Monroe Doctrine

Discover the purpose and importance of the Monroe Doctrine

Discover the life of Malcolm X role and his role in the Civil Rights Movement

Know about the first and second Opium Wars between China and Western countries

Four key questions about Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird

Discover the origins of liberalism, its relation to democracy, and how it differs from classical liberalism and conservatism

Understand the history and ideology of nationalism

Know about democracy, its history, and advantage over other forms of government

Know about Saint Peter, one of the 12 apostles

Learn about the life of Saint Augustine of Hippo

Understand the concept and significance of the Open Door policy

Learn about the life of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the father of Mexican independence

Discover the life of Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate

Know about the life of the greatest composer Ludwig van Beethoven

Top Questions: Jacques Cartier

Learn about the life of Mohammad, the founder of Islam

Learn what caused the Meiji Restoration

Learn about the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony

View and learn about the life and achievements of Jackie Robinson

Learn about the Viking chieftain Ivar the Boneless

Learn about Benito Mussolini, his rise to power, and role in World War II

Learn about Abraham, the first Hebrew patriarch

Know about the history of the women's suffrage movement

Know about the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis

Learn about the history and importance of the Hagia Sophia

Learn about the life of Frederick Douglass and his role in the American Civil War and Reconstruction

Know about the role of Adolf Eichmann during the Holocaust and his trial

Learn about the life and career of the mathematical genius Carl Friedrich Gauss

Learn about the Mughal emperor Akbar and his accession to the throne

Learn about Cyrus the Great and the Achaemenian Empire

Know about genetically modified organisms, their importance, and impact on the environment

Learn about the life and work of the French mathematician and philosopher, René Descartes

Learn about the life and works of George Orwell

Know about Subhas Chandra Bose and his role in India's independence movement

Learn about the life and philosophy of Confucius

Know about the philosophy and teachings of Daoism

Know about the life of Louis XIV, king of France

Learn about the life of the English navigator and explorer Henry Hudson

Learn about the life of the Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin

Learn about the Salem witch trials and their legacy

Learn about the life of Maximilien Robespierre

Know about Saint John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus

Hear a discussion about the impact of coronavirus on the environment

Know about the history of Memorial Day

Witness the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing with U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, Jr., and Michael Collins

Discover some facts about the Great Depression

Learn about the history of the Armenian genocide during World War I

Learn about some key points on the Gulf of Tonkin incident leading to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, 1964

Know about the life of Hippocrates

Learn about the life of German philosopher Immanuel Kant

Learn about the life and works of Italian Renaissance architect and engineer Filippo Brunelleschi

Learn about the Asian Giant Hornet and how they are a threat to honeybees

Learn about the history and origins of Pride Month, celebrating the LGBTQ community

Learn about Space X, the future of space travel, and the future goals of NASA

Know about the effects of coronavirus on parenting, school education, and the digital divide

ocean temperature increase

Discover the history of Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States

Know about the solar phenomena of the summer solstice in the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere

Discover the life and works of Duke Ellington

Know about the life of Leon Trotsky and his role in the October Revolution

Know about the life and significance of Toussaint Louverture

Understand why various weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes, and typhoons form during the summer

Uncover five historical facts about the Fourth of July

Know about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and its devastating aftereffects, 1945

Know about the history and context of the Declaration of Independence

Top Questions: Oscar Wilde

Top Questions: Genghis Khan

Top Questions: Jane Austen

Discover five strange reasons why women were not allowed to vote

Know why Columbus Day is celebrated

Learn about India's Independence Day and know how the day is celebrated

Top Questions: David Hume

Top Questions: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Top Questions: John Milton

Top Questions: Pullman Strike

Hear about the Apollo 11 landing on the moon and its return to earth

View to learn about renewable energy, its types, and also how the coronavirus pandemic has changed energy consumption and production patterns

Discover the origin of the holiday of Halloween

Uncover the history behind the celebration of Labor Day

Know about the history of the annual festival of Oktoberfest held in Munich, Germany

Know about the winter solstice in the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere

Hear about V-J Day, the Potsdam Conference, and the end of World War II

Learn with infographics about the Allied invasion of Omaha Beach during the Normandy Invasion

Learn about the Allied invasion of Utah Beach during the Normandy Invasion

Hear researchers talk about the challenges in the ALS research therapy in the time of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic

Know about Christmas Eve

Know about Christmas, a Christian religious holiday

Discover the origins and tradition of Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada

Hear Dr. Colleen Shogan talk on the 19th Amendment and the history of the women's suffrage movement

What if the Cold War was not so cold?

Learn about the Allied invasion routes during the Normandy Invasion of World War II

Listen about the landings on Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches during the Normandy Invasion

Observe the illustration and learn about the obstacles faced by the Allies forces at Omaha Beach during the Normandy Invasion, 1944

Know about the German military chain of command in Western Europe, 1944

Discover the life and career of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Know about the hurricanes, its formation, and the challenges in forecasting

Watch the infographic and learn about various landing craft used by the Allies during World War II

Find out more about the catastrophic impact of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during World War II

View to understand the different ways to measure biodiversity

Learn about the U.S. Supreme Court and how a Supreme Court judge is appointed

Learn the details of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, and its consequences

Understand the role of the U.S. Electoral College and how the president and vice president is elected

Know about the importance of voting, the franchise, and the expansion of the electorate

Understand the issue of voter turnout in the 2020 U.S. election, focusing on the younger generations

Britannica World War II Infographic Explainer: Battle of Midway

Who Was F. Scott Fitzgerald?

A Brief History of German Music

EB Insights: Curiosity Day

Whisky Tasting with Scots!

Britannica Insights: Beethoven's 250th Birthday

What Pop Culture Got Wrong About Catherine the Great

What Pop Culture Got Wrong About Abraham Lincoln

Britannica's 2020 Year in Review

What Pop Culture Got Wrong About F. Scott Fitzgerald

What Pop Culture Got Wrong About Marie-Antoinette

Explore what happened at the Battle of Midway

Hear a discussion about holiday food and cooking culture

explore lines of latitude and longitude

Explore the programs of FDR's New Deal during the Great Depression

Learn about the life and career of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Learn about depictions of Coco Chanel in pop culture

The Aftereffects of War: Vietnam War

Find out more about how Fred Hampton is depicted in Judas and the Black Messiah

Major types of pollution explained

Helen Keller: career, accomplishments, and books

Assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth

fun facts about ostriches

Voyager space probe origins and discoveries

Discover the history of the U.S. holiday Presidents' Day

Explore the historical accuracy of films about Pocahontas

Learn about the history of the International Space Station

Explore Jim Crow laws, racism, and segregation in the United States

Explore the career of educator and reformer Booker T. Washington

Explore how accurate the movie The United States vs. Billie Holiday is

Explore the life and accomplishments of scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois

Discover the Underground Railroad and harrowing escapes from slavery

Explore the history of Irish soda bread and its importance to Irish culture

Explore Irish genealogy and the Irish history of Chicago

Discover Irish music, dance, and food at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago

Visit Chief O'Neill's pub and learn about Irish culture and cuisine

Explore the career and scandals of Elizabeth Holmes

Discover what the Viking space probes found on planet Mars

Explore technological innovations of the Cold War

Learn about the origin of St. Patrick's Day and how the holiday has changed over time

Uncover the truth behind the real person and missionary celebrated on St. Patrick's Day

Find out how the Monroe Doctrine changed U.S. foreign policy

Learn about how the Articles of Confederation governed the new United States

Explore how the American Civil War changed the way Americans thought about death, religion, and race

Learn how the work of Frederick Douglass still matters today

Discover how abolitionist Frederick Douglass learned to read and write

Learn about the autobiographies of Frederick Douglass

Discover the truth behind the photographs of Frederick Douglass

How did the Harlem Renaissance use art to challenge white supremacy?

Did you know these facts about Joseph Stalin?

Explore food history and learn how to make a German Black Forest cake

Revisit the legend of the feud between the Hatfield and McCoy families

Take a one-of-a-kind museum tour with Chicago Scots President Gus Noble

Explore the fascinating history of Amish quilts

Get a taste of 20th-century life on the plains through Frank Sadorus's photos

Learn everything you need to know about having Scottish heritage

Learn about the conservation efforts that saved bald eagles

Explore our favorite facts about bears

Memorize this song and never forget a fact about ferrets again

Find out why all frogs are poisonous

Explore the origins of the April Fools' Day holiday

Learn about the Dred Scott decision, the worst U.S. Supreme Court ruling in history

Discover how amputation saved lives in the American Civil War

Explore Manifest Destiny's role in American westward expansion

Learn about the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858

Discover the facts about the life and career of U.S. Vice Pres. Kamala Harris

Explore the life of software developer Audrey Tang

Discover the facts behind the theory of continental drift

Discover how Elizabeth II became queen of the United Kingdom

Learn the origin of Prince William and Kate Middleton's love story

Find out what could have happened if the Titanic hadn't sunk

Discover the mythology, legends, and folktales of ancient Greece

Explore the life and career of jazz singer Billie Holiday

Find out how the Academy Awards got their start

Learn how the 17-year cicada knows when to travel aboveground

Explore climate change with Bill McKibben

Discover how superheroes took over pop culture

Learn how World War II triggered the end of the British Empire

Find out how World War II led to the invention of the Slinky

Discover how World War II changed China forever

Learn why you can't watch the Indy 500 on TV in Indiana

Find out what you need to win the PGA Championship

Why did some people think Alexander the Great was a god?

Britannica Study Guide: The Crisis of the Union

Find out what happened during the Iran-Iraq War

Explore how earthquakes cause seismic waves

Learn more about Jewish life in Germany after World War II

Find out how the Industrial Revolution changed the world

Explore biodiversity loss with Dr. Enrique Salmón

Explore the legend of Achilles in Greek mythology

Find out why North and South Korea didn't reunite after the Korean War

Discover the Parthenon: temple, treasury, mosque, and dormitory

Discover the history behind the FIFA World Cup

Explore milestones in human brain development

Discover the power of play in human development

Learn about technology and modern childhood

Find out the importance of social and emotional learning

Find out what could have happened if Nixon hadn't resigned from office

Explore the transition to renewable energy with Phil the Fixer

What happened to the Mayflower after Plymouth?

Learn about meditation in 60 seconds

Explore Shakespeare and the history of audition sides

Discover how the Compromise of 1850 led to the American Civil War

Find out why the American Whig Party fell apart in the 1850s

Explore the history of encaustic painting

Find out about the Manhattan Project and the atomic bomb

Explore the process of photosynthesis

Learn about Monet's paintings of water lilies

Discover the beautiful Sainte-Chapelle

How the Cold War helped foster antibiotic resistance

Explore the art of Joaquín Sorolla

Explore the history of the Coca-Cola Company

Learn about Abraham Lincoln and the Spot Resolutions

Juneteenth: All your questions, answered

All your questions about the Fourth of July answered

How well do you know the Ming dynasty?

Learn more about Israel and Palestine

Find out what medical development helped World War II soldiers

Discover the history of the zodiac

Find out how Internet Explorer won the first browser war

Learn how FDR changed the U.S. with the New Deal

Explore pollination in under 60 seconds

Discover the strength of Harriet Tubman

Find out how fake poop helped the U.S. Army in Vietnam

Learn about the fight for clean drinking water with Gitanjali Rao

Explore the crimes of serial killer Ed Gein

Did you know THIS about the Roman Empire?

Explore the world of carnivorous plants

Learn about nitrogen fixation in 60 seconds

Discover the benefits and drawbacks of organic farming

Explore Jack Kerouac's On the Road

Learn about Bob Dylan's “Blowin' in the Wind”

Examine critical race theory (CRT)

Discover why frozen blood was needed in the Vietnam War

Learn about Allen Ginsberg's “Howl”

Reconstruction explained in five questions and answers

When do we still use Roman numerals?

Find out how a 2010 volcanic eruption stopped European tourism

Get to know the six types of simple machines

Hear the Russian Revolution explained with three questions

Everything you didn't know about China's one-child policy

This Month in Astrology: Leo

Learn about the Battle of the Alamo

Follow the career of star basketball player Kobe Bryant

What in the world was the Hundred Years' War?

Explore the origins of the term Manifest Destiny

Learn about the Sons of Liberty, who fanned the flames of revolution

This Month in Astrology: Virgo

Find out about the Black Death pandemic

Twenty years later, how do we remember 9/11?

Learn how Elizabeth I finally got to the throne

Who are the Hazaras, one of Afghanistan's threatened minorities?

Has anyone ever actually seen Bigfoot? Let's find out.

Discover the revolution that changed child labour in the United States

Find out about the remarkable life of Frederick Douglass

Did the Seven Wonders of the World actually exist?

Find out how the Lewis and Clark Expedition relied on the help of Native American women

Learn more about one of the most impactful suffragists in American history

The Great Chicago Fire and the deadly Peshtigo firestorm started on the same day

How to use the scientific method

Discover the sacred indigenous origins of the site of Mount Rushmore

No, enslaved people didn't build the Pyramids of Giza

Discover how the McCormick reaper changed farming forever

Learn why you shouldn't call a suffragist a suffragette by mistake

What did Mary Wollstonecraft write about in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman?

Discover the small-town origins of Henry Ford

If Thomas Edison didn't invent the lightbulb, who did?

Explore the life of Sojourner Truth

Learn more about China's 13 major ruling dynasties

Discover the paintings of Kerry James Marshall

Find out how Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in modern Major League Baseball

Learn about the life and career of labour activist Cesar Chavez

Learn about Elizabeth Cady Stanton's role in the women's rights movement

Learn more about Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States

Don't forget these women writers of the Harlem Renaissance

Find out what really happened at the Boston Massacre

Explore the life and career of Walt Disney