Videos

Chris Martine has been generating educational YouTube content since 2008, most of it as part of the “Plants are Cool, Too!” (PACT) project co-produced with Paul Frederick and Tim Kramer. The first PACT episode was posted in 2011 thanks to funding from the Botanical Society of America, with subsequent episodes funded through grants and by the institutions of the scientists featured in the videos. The goal has been the same from the beginning: to put a spotlight on awesome plants and the cool people who study them. The videos have been viewed on YouTube more than 200,000 times; and PACT has been used in hundreds of classrooms (both K-12 and at colleges/universities) as well as in museums and other science-based educational settings. Interested in using them for teaching? We’ve indexed them by subject below.

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  • Plants Are Cool, Too! Episode 2 : Fossilized Forests!

    Plants Are Cool, Too! Episode 2 : Fossilized Forests!

    Most plant fossils are impressions, but the ones in Clarkia, Idaho are actual leaves encased in rock for the last 15 millions years… and we might be able to use their DNA. 

  • Ay, Chihuahua! New Species in the Desert!

    Ay, Chihuahua! New Species in the Desert!

    What do you get when a team of biologists from Mexico and the US sets out to explore remote areas of the Chihuahuan Desert? Lots of examples of the evolution of new species on gypsum soils — and plenty of evidence that the world is still full of things to discover. 

  • Off-road Enthusiasts and Coal Land Forest Restoration

    Off-road Enthusiasts and Coal Land Forest Restoration

    Conservation takes partnership. Many off-roaders think conservationists are all “tree-huggers”… and many conservationists think off-roaders are all “tree-killers.” But somewhere in between there is a sweet spot where forests can be appreciated and cared for. In the case of the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA), that sweet spot might even help to reinvigorate a local economy.