Shhh! We're going inside Amazon's super-secret chip design lab! But not the kind where they invent new potato chips. Amazon gave the BBC a rare look inside Annapurna Labs, where engineers design custom computer chips that power artificial intelligence.
Their teams oversee the entire process, from testing newly built silicon chips to making sure they're ready to be installed in massive data centers. These chips are the brains behind AI tools that millions of people use every day — from chatbots and translation apps to online shopping recommendations and voice assistants. Each chip can perform more than 1,000 trillion calculations every second. If you solved just one calculation every second without ever stopping, it would take about 80 million years to do the same amount of work!
There are companies that specialize in making chips, but Amazon designs its own to help make AI systems faster, more energy-efficient, and less expensive to operate. As AI becomes more powerful and more common, Amazon is competing with companies like Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia to build the chips that will power the next generation of AI.
This mini biography template is a flexible, engaging tool designed to help students in Grades 3–8 explore the lives of important historical figures. With sections like Best Known For, Important Life Events, Challenges and Obstacles, Memorable Quote, and Legacy and Achievements, students are guided to think beyond basic facts and develop a deeper understanding of a person’s impact.
This template can be used with any historical figure and pairs especially well with video-based research. Encourage students to explore our BBC video library to gather key details, hear stories in context, and build stronger connections to the people they’re studying.
Here are a few ways you can use this template in your classroom:
- Celebrate special months: Have students research and complete biographies for influential figures during observances like Women’s History Month or Black History Month.
- Scientist spotlights: Use the template to profile important scientists, inventors, or innovators throughout history.
- “Living museum” projects: Have students complete the template, then present their figure in a short first-person speech or display as part of a classroom museum exhibit.
How Well Do You Know U.S. Presidents?
Presidents’ Day is a time to celebrate the leaders who have shaped the United States — from George Washington, the very first president, to Abraham Lincoln, who kept the country together, and Barack Obama, the first Black president. But how much do you really know about these famous figures, their fun hobbies, surprising pets, and historic accomplishments?
From presidential inventions and favorite pastimes to clever facts about the White House and the people who have lived there, this quiz is packed with fun and a few tricky twists. Will you be the Commander-in-Chief of Trivia?
In The Role of One Rudimentary Battery in Transforming the World, narrator Michael Mosley uncovers the story of the first battery. It begins with a letter in 1800 with simple instructions from Italian scientist Alessandro Volta on how to make an artificial torpedo fish, and ends in a classroom where Hans Christian Oersted took it one step further, noticing how the battery current created magnetic fields. The electric telegraph and using steam power weren’t far behind, transforming the world as we knew it. This video is excerpted from BBC's The Story of Science, in which Michael Mosley takes an informative and ambitious journey exploring how the evolution of scientific understanding is intimately interwoven with society's historical path.
The article "Leonardo da Vinci: Artist, Inventor, and Renaissance Genius" from BBC's HistoryExtra explores Leonardo da Vinci’s life as an artist, engineer, and visionary thinker. It outlines his rise from an apprentice in Florence to becoming a celebrated figure in the court of the French king. It also reveals how his inventions — such as early flying machines and war weapons — were centuries ahead of their time.
The article "Benjamin Franklin’s Bright Ideas: From Lightning Rods to Bifocals" from BBC's HistoryExtra highlights Franklin’s curious mind and lifelong passion for learning. It explains how he used science and creativity to develop useful inventions like the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, and even an unspillable soup bowl, while also uncovering the electric nature of lightning with his famous kite experiment.
The article "Benjamin Franklin: The Revolutionary Genius Who Shaped America’s Future" from BBC's HistoryExtra explores the many roles of Benjamin Franklin. A Founding Father, inventor, and diplomat, Franklin was pivotal in securing the French-American alliance during the American Revolution. Known for his inventions like the lightning rod and bifocals, he also played a key part in drafting the Declaration of Independence.
The article "6 Terrible Inventions That Killed Their Creators" from BBC's Science Focus recounts the tragic tales of inventors who died due to their own inventions. From Karel Soucek's shock-absorbent barrel to Henry Smolinski's flying car, these stories highlight the risks and dangers faced by those who push the boundaries of innovation.
In The Development of Writing in Mesopotamia , archaeologist and historian Richard Miles shares how the invention of writing transformed civilization in Mesopotamia and beyond. Writing began as a way to record purchases and evolved into sophisticated systems for expressing ideas, creating myths, and preserving culture. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Ancient Worlds, an epic series with archaeologist and historian Richard Miles as he explores the roots of civilization from Mesopotamia to the fall of the Roman Empire.
In The Go Jetters Test a Stormy Weather Invention, the Go Jetters crew tests their invention to tackle stormy weather. They find hailstones inside a cumulonimbus thundercloud. Ubercorn shares funky facts about how hailstones are made and the damage they can do. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Go Jetters, a series that follows the adventures of four international heroes as they travel the globe visiting landmarks and solving environmental problems with Ubercorn, a disco-dancing unicorn.
In The Game-Changing Invention of Refrigerated Transport, presenter Ruth Goodman visits Greenwich, England, to learn how the first refrigerated ships transported meat from New Zealand to England. Learn how an American inventor solved the problem of keeping food cold as it traveled over land. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Toilets of the Future, presenter Cherry Healey learns about a Toto toilet that has lots of cool features that improve hygiene and the experience of visiting the bathroom. She visits Cranfield University to get a glimpse of the toilet of the future, one that doesn’t use water. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
Shhh! We're going inside Amazon's super-secret chip design lab! But not the kind where they invent new potato chips. Amazon gave the BBC a rare look inside Annapurna Labs, where engineers design custom computer chips that power artificial intelligence.
Their teams oversee the entire process, from testing newly built silicon chips to making sure they're ready to be installed in massive data centers. These chips are the brains behind AI tools that millions of people use every day — from chatbots and translation apps to online shopping recommendations and voice assistants. Each chip can perform more than 1,000 trillion calculations every second. If you solved just one calculation every second without ever stopping, it would take about 80 million years to do the same amount of work!
There are companies that specialize in making chips, but Amazon designs its own to help make AI systems faster, more energy-efficient, and less expensive to operate. As AI becomes more powerful and more common, Amazon is competing with companies like Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia to build the chips that will power the next generation of AI.
This mini biography template is a flexible, engaging tool designed to help students in Grades 3–8 explore the lives of important historical figures. With sections like Best Known For, Important Life Events, Challenges and Obstacles, Memorable Quote, and Legacy and Achievements, students are guided to think beyond basic facts and develop a deeper understanding of a person’s impact.
This template can be used with any historical figure and pairs especially well with video-based research. Encourage students to explore our BBC video library to gather key details, hear stories in context, and build stronger connections to the people they’re studying.
Here are a few ways you can use this template in your classroom:
- Celebrate special months: Have students research and complete biographies for influential figures during observances like Women’s History Month or Black History Month.
- Scientist spotlights: Use the template to profile important scientists, inventors, or innovators throughout history.
- “Living museum” projects: Have students complete the template, then present their figure in a short first-person speech or display as part of a classroom museum exhibit.
How Well Do You Know U.S. Presidents?
Presidents’ Day is a time to celebrate the leaders who have shaped the United States — from George Washington, the very first president, to Abraham Lincoln, who kept the country together, and Barack Obama, the first Black president. But how much do you really know about these famous figures, their fun hobbies, surprising pets, and historic accomplishments?
From presidential inventions and favorite pastimes to clever facts about the White House and the people who have lived there, this quiz is packed with fun and a few tricky twists. Will you be the Commander-in-Chief of Trivia?
In The Role of One Rudimentary Battery in Transforming the World, narrator Michael Mosley uncovers the story of the first battery. It begins with a letter in 1800 with simple instructions from Italian scientist Alessandro Volta on how to make an artificial torpedo fish, and ends in a classroom where Hans Christian Oersted took it one step further, noticing how the battery current created magnetic fields. The electric telegraph and using steam power weren’t far behind, transforming the world as we knew it. This video is excerpted from BBC's The Story of Science, in which Michael Mosley takes an informative and ambitious journey exploring how the evolution of scientific understanding is intimately interwoven with society's historical path.
The article "Leonardo da Vinci: Artist, Inventor, and Renaissance Genius" from BBC's HistoryExtra explores Leonardo da Vinci’s life as an artist, engineer, and visionary thinker. It outlines his rise from an apprentice in Florence to becoming a celebrated figure in the court of the French king. It also reveals how his inventions — such as early flying machines and war weapons — were centuries ahead of their time.
The article "Benjamin Franklin’s Bright Ideas: From Lightning Rods to Bifocals" from BBC's HistoryExtra highlights Franklin’s curious mind and lifelong passion for learning. It explains how he used science and creativity to develop useful inventions like the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, and even an unspillable soup bowl, while also uncovering the electric nature of lightning with his famous kite experiment.
The article "Benjamin Franklin: The Revolutionary Genius Who Shaped America’s Future" from BBC's HistoryExtra explores the many roles of Benjamin Franklin. A Founding Father, inventor, and diplomat, Franklin was pivotal in securing the French-American alliance during the American Revolution. Known for his inventions like the lightning rod and bifocals, he also played a key part in drafting the Declaration of Independence.
The article "6 Terrible Inventions That Killed Their Creators" from BBC's Science Focus recounts the tragic tales of inventors who died due to their own inventions. From Karel Soucek's shock-absorbent barrel to Henry Smolinski's flying car, these stories highlight the risks and dangers faced by those who push the boundaries of innovation.
In The Development of Writing in Mesopotamia , archaeologist and historian Richard Miles shares how the invention of writing transformed civilization in Mesopotamia and beyond. Writing began as a way to record purchases and evolved into sophisticated systems for expressing ideas, creating myths, and preserving culture. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Ancient Worlds, an epic series with archaeologist and historian Richard Miles as he explores the roots of civilization from Mesopotamia to the fall of the Roman Empire.
In The Go Jetters Test a Stormy Weather Invention, the Go Jetters crew tests their invention to tackle stormy weather. They find hailstones inside a cumulonimbus thundercloud. Ubercorn shares funky facts about how hailstones are made and the damage they can do. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Go Jetters, a series that follows the adventures of four international heroes as they travel the globe visiting landmarks and solving environmental problems with Ubercorn, a disco-dancing unicorn.
In The Game-Changing Invention of Refrigerated Transport, presenter Ruth Goodman visits Greenwich, England, to learn how the first refrigerated ships transported meat from New Zealand to England. Learn how an American inventor solved the problem of keeping food cold as it traveled over land. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.
In Toilets of the Future, presenter Cherry Healey learns about a Toto toilet that has lots of cool features that improve hygiene and the experience of visiting the bathroom. She visits Cranfield University to get a glimpse of the toilet of the future, one that doesn’t use water. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Inside the Factory, a series that takes viewers behind the scenes in the factories that make our favorite products.