Topic: Water

Lesson by Mia Nacamulli, animation by Chris Bishop. Water is essentially everywhere in our world, and the average human is composed of between 55 and 60% water. So what role does water play in our bodies, and how much do we actually need to drink to stay healthy? Mia Nacamulli details the health benefits of hydration. 

Video produced by Reimagine Films (www.reimaginefilms.com.au) Fresh water is the most precious resource on Earth. It is essential for the survival of all living things. Did you know that the water you drink today is the same water that the dinosaurs enjoyed? The water just keeps cycling around the Earth! Human's depend on water for drinking, eating, energy, entertainment, and transport. One could say Australian's have water on tap - but what happens if it's not available? Or if fresh water becomes polluted?

Lesson by Jennifer Verduin, directed by Cabong Studios In 1992, a cargo ship carrying bath toys got caught in a storm. Shipping containers washed overboard, and the waves swept 28,000 rubber ducks and other toys into the North Pacific. But they didn’t stick together -- the ducks have since washed up all over the world. How did this happen? Jennifer Verduin dives into the science of ocean currents.

The ocean covers 70% of the planet, but humans still don’t know very much about it.

To help understand the need for water reform in the Murray--Darling Basin, David Dreverman (Executive Director of River Management) gives a brief history of the Basin's water resources. Through this video he also explains how changes to the natural environment, combined with drought, have put our river systems under stress.

Stratfor discusses the geopolitical significance of the Nile River -- Egypt's lifeline and a source of contention among the 10 countries through which it flows.

Abu Dhabi is a desert city with a population above 620,000. Each person must have access to water. Where does this water come from? After watching this video do you think the retrieval of water in Abu Dhabi a sustainable practice?

As the world's climate patterns continue to shift unpredictably, places where drinking water was once abundant may soon find reservoirs dry and groundwater aquifers depleted. In this talk, civil and environmental engineer David Sedlak shares four practical solutions to the ongoing urban water crisis. His goal: to shift our water supply towards new, local sources of water and create a system that is capable of withstanding any of the challenges climate change may throw at us in the coming years.

Stretching from Cape York in the north, down to Dubbo and across to Coober Pedy, the Great Artesian Basin covers almost a quarter of the Australian continent, and it contains enough water to cover the world over.

The study of clouds has always been a daydreamer’s science, aptly founded by a thoughtful young man whose favourite activity was staring out of the window at the sky. This is the story of Luke Howard, the man who classified the clouds and forever changed humanity’s understanding of these changeable, mysterious objects.

Water is a special substance for several reasons, and you may have noticed an important one right in your cold drink: ice. Solid ice floats in liquid water, which isn't true for most substances. But why? George Zaidan and Charles Morton explain the science behind how how hydrogen bonds keep the ice in your glass (and the polar ice caps) afloat.

Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Kevin Spacey, Edward Norton, Penélope Cruz, Robert Redford and Ian Somerhalder all join forces to give nature a voice. Watch the films and take action at http://natureisspeaking.org

Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Kevin Spacey, Edward Norton, Penélope Cruz, Robert Redford and Ian Somerhalder all join forces to give nature a voice. Watch the films and take action at http://natureisspeaking.org

Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Kevin Spacey, Edward Norton, Penélope Cruz, Robert Redford and Ian Somerhalder all join forces to give nature a voice. Watch the films and take action at http://natureisspeaking.org

Water covers over 70% of the Earth, cycling from the oceans and rivers to the clouds and back again. It even makes up about 60% of our bodies. But in the rest of the solar system, liquid water is almost impossible to find. So how did our planet end up with so much of this substance? And where did it come from? Zachary Metz outlines the ancient origins of water on Earth.

"Anything that is worth pursuing is going to require us to suffer, just a little bit," says surf photographer Chris Burkard, as he explains his obsession with the coldest, choppiest, most isolated beaches on earth. With jawdropping photos and stories of places few humans have ever seen — much less surfed — he draws us into his "personal crusade against the mundane."

The climate is changing, sure, but things are changing underwater, too. A quarter of the greenhouse gases we emit are absorbed by the oceans, changing their fundamental chemistry and causing all sorts of problems for the things that live down there. Which ends up causing problems for the couple billion of us who rely on the oceans for food and livelihood.

Are you one of those people who suffers through 10-second showers in the name of water and energy conservation? Grist and the planet thank you for the nice gesture — every drop counts. But it turns out really saving water has more to do with what’s on your plate than what’s coming out of your faucet. With prolonged and extreme droughts cropping up left and right, thanks to YOU KNOW WHO (pssssst anthropogenic climate change), small changes at your table can actually have major impacts on water savings and our food system at large. Watch the video for more to wet your appetite.

It's a well-known fact that the majority of an iceberg lies below the surface -- but just as stealthily hidden are their fascinating qualities. Traveling the seas, teeming with life, and sometimes even making a noise called "bergie seltzer," there's so much more than meets the eye. Camille Seaman gives homage to these icy isles.

While the Earth’s oceans are known as five separate entities, there is really only one ocean. So, how big is it? As of 2013, it takes up 71% of the Earth, houses 99% of the biosphere, and contains some of Earth’s grandest geological features. Scott Gass reminds us of the influence humans have on the ocean and the influence it has on us.

Fresh water is essential for life -- and there's not nearly enough of it for the world right now. Why is that, and what could we do? Christiana Z. Peppard lays out the big questions of our global water problem. And no, shorter showers are not the answer.

Fresh water accounts for only 2.5% of Earth's water, yet it is vital for human civilization. What are our sources of fresh water? In the first of a two part series on fresh water, Christiana Z. Peppard breaks the numbers down and discusses who is using it and to what ends.

In the deepest, darkest parts of the oceans are ecosystems with more diversity than a tropical rainforest. Taking us on a voyage into the ocean -- from the deepest trenches to the remains of the Titanic -- marine biologist David Gallo explores the wonder and beauty of marine life.

After a crisis, how can we tell if water is safe to drink? Current tests are slow and complex, and the delay can be deadly, as in the cholera outbreak after Haiti's earthquake in 2010. TED Fellow Sonaar Luthra previews his design for a simple tool that quickly tests water for safety -- the Water Canary.

With streams and rivers drying up because of over-usage, Rob Harmon has implemented an ingenious market mechanism to bring back the water. Farmers and beer companies find their fates intertwined in the intriguing century-old tale of Prickly Pear Creek.

With wisdom and wit, Anupam Mishra talks about the amazing feats of engineering built centuries ago by the people of India's Golden Desert to harvest water. These structures are still used today -- and are often superior to modern water megaprojects.

"If the average temperature of a large body of water increases, that's an enormous amount of heat content," says Andrew Rosenberg, a convening lead author of the National Climate Assessment's Oceans chapter. Ocean waters are becoming warmer and more acidic, broadly affecting ocean circulation, chemistry, ecosystems, and marine life. Rising sea surface temperatures have been linked with increasing levels and ranges of diseases in people and marine life. In this video, Rosenberg discusses how human-caused climate change is transforming the oceans that make up 70 percent of the Earth's surface. To explore the 2014 National Climate Assessment, go to NCA2014.globalchange.gov

"This is really a call for America to find out, `What does climate change mean for where you live?'" says Paul Fleming, a convening lead author of the National Climate Assessment's Water Resources chapter. Fleming talks about how climate change will challenge the reliability of water supplies in the United States in multiple ways. Alterations in precipitation patterns and reduced snowpack are some of the climate-related changes that will affect the quality and quantity of water available to Americans.

Ever wondered just how much water we use? What do we use it for? Where does it go afterwards? Help save water so our world won't dry up.

This hand-drawn animation by young student Grace Kim tells the story of what happens to our trash when we let it escape into the environment. Grace, a student from St. Philips College in Port Stephens created this film for a school project after learning about this growing problem and also learning that Take 3 were trying to educate the broader community.

L.I.F.E. is about people across Australia, just like you, getting involved with Landcare in their everyday lives. For more information, visit www.landcarelife.com.au

“The ocean is so acidic that it is dissolving the shells of our baby oysters,” says Diani Taylor of Taylor Shellfish Farms in Shelton, Washington. She and her cousin Brittany are fifth-generation oyster farmers, and are grappling with ocean waters that are more acidic and corrosive than their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers knew. This “ocean acidification” is one planetary response to humans’ burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide that is absorbed by the oceans. According to the National Climate Assessment, oceans currently absorb about a quarter of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, leading to ocean acidification that will alter marine ecosystems in dramatic yet uncertain ways.

Project GreenBag is the sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags. 100% organic cotton, biodegradable, affordable, and made in San Francisco California.

This groundbreaking NRDC documentary explores the startling phenomenon of ocean acidification, which may soon challenge marine life on a scale not seen for tens of millions of years.

Last year 5.2 billion pounds of seafood, including catfish, were imported into the United States from foreign countries. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected a mere 2% of all those imports. That means, 98% of all those imports made it to our grocery shelves and restaurants with absolutely no FDA health and safety inspections.

Many people in many developing countries seek out clean drinking water with much difficulty. But developed nations spend billions of dollars buying bottled water even though their respective countries provide clean drinking water from the tap.

The Cycle of Insanity: The Real Story of Water is a short, animated film made by a collaboration of creative and dedicated volunteers at the Surfrider Foundation.

Four months after the Deepwater Horizon disaster Alexandra Cousteau visits the Gulf States to find friends, communities and livelihoods burdened and broken by distrust and uncertainty in the aftermath of the the largest oil spill in US waters. In a region whose heart and soul can be found in the marine bounty of the gulf's rich waters, Cousteau discovers that people are not only losing their jobs, but their way of life.

The Clean Water Act took effect 41 years ago. In 1972, stormwater pollution was nowhere near a top priority. Today, it's taken the lead as the top water contaminator. How bad is it? Puget Sound diver Laura James takes us where nobody wants to go -- inside a stormwater outfall -- to get an upclose look.

Water covers 70% of our planet. It is essential to life, but not all is well in our water world.

In December 2008, the low-lying Carterets Islands were badly damaged by king tides and violent storm surges. Nicholas Hakata, a local youth leader and community representative, explains that he and his family have been surviving on mainly fish and coconuts, and battling the swamp mosquitoes that have brought malaria.

The main tank called the "Kuroshio Sea" holds 7,500-cubic meters (1,981,290 gallons) of water and features the world's second largest acrylic glass panel. Whale sharks and manta rays are kept amongst many other fish species in the main tank.

Palau is a special place. Thousands of years ago these jellyfish became trapped in a natural basin on the island when the ocean receded. Over time they evolved into a new species that lost their stinging ability.

The ecological price of extracting oil.

In 2008, World Consumption of Bottled Water Surpassed 52 Billion Gallons...

Images of the ocean.

This was filmed during August 2011. This is an interpretation of the fjord landscape in western Norway.

A bookmark is stuck in a forgotten book that is one day knocked over by wind. It experiences its environment by surfing the pages that turn in to ocean-waves, enjoying the ride of its life. As the book cover closes light reveals new challenges.

Beautiful images of diving and surfing in the ocean.

Richard Lang and Judith Selby Lang have been collecting plastic debris off one beach in Northern California for over ten years. Each piece of plastic Richard and Judith pick up comes back to their house, where it gets cleaned, categorized and stored before being used for their art.

Where Is ‘Away?’: Solving Plastic Pollution in 4-minutes, is the fourth short movie in professional surfer, Kyle Thiermann’s Surfing For Change series. It tracks a plastic bag that Kyle uses in his hometown of Santa Cruz California, all the way to the north shore of Oahu, demonstrating both the destruction and solutions along the way.