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How does alcohol make you drunk? - Judy Grisel

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Ethanol: this molecule, made of little more than a few carbon atoms, is responsible for drunkenness. Often simply referred to as alcohol, ethanol is the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages. So how exactly does it cause drunkenness, and why does it have dramatically different effects on different people? Judy Grisel explores alcohol's journey through the body.


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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Judy Grisel
  • Director Anton Bogaty
  • Narrator Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Storyboard Artist Anton Bogaty
  • Animator Anton Bogaty
  • Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma
Additional Resources for you to Explore
How did alcohol develop across different civilizations? What are the different uses, and restrictions that apply across different cultures? To learn more about the history of alcohol, check out this lesson, A Brief History of Alcohol, and learn about the early fermentation of rice, millet, grapes, and honey.

Alcohol isn’t the only drug that has mixed affects on our bodies. Marijuana legalization has been subject to a lot of debate across countries. Could this drug, which was once classified among the strictest schedule of drugs in the United States, have medicinal benefits? Check out this lesson to learn more about if marijuana bad for your brain?

Interested in learning more about the potential long term effects of alcohol on our brains? Check out this video to learn about How Bad Is Heavy Drinking on the Brain?

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Judy Grisel
  • Director Anton Bogaty
  • Narrator Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Storyboard Artist Anton Bogaty
  • Animator Anton Bogaty
  • Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma

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