Dirt is alive. It’s full of billions of creatures so small you can’t even see them under a microscope. For 10,000 years, dirt has helped humans convert the limitless energy of the sun into the plants and animals we eat to keep us alive. Dirt has been good to us. But it turns out, we haven’t been very good to the dirt. Roll up your sleeves. It’s time to get dirty.

This excellent video from Vox, was designed for kids, but it’s not only for kids. Informative for all ages, The Secret History of Dirt also covers farming trends in the Americas and Europe, as well as the challenges of an industry that pushed for speed and volume over the health of microfauna, soil, plants, food, and humans.

One in a series of Vox videos created for kids, this smart soil explainer is perfect for learning in the classroom or at home.