TED-Ed

Mysteries of vernacular: Blast powder - Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel Jul 26, 2026 240 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mysteries-of-vernacular-dynamite-jessica-oreck-and-rachael-teelWith an explosive meaning, the word dynamite's past is as historical as it is etymological. Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel describe how Alfred Nobel invented dynamite.Lesson by Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel, animation by Jessica Oreck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc

These animals are also plants … seriously, what? - Luka Seamus Wright Jul 26, 2026 476 Explore the incredible adaptations of Elysia chlorotica, a species of sea slug that can photosynthesize food. --The species of slug known as Elysia chlorotica may not look like much— it resembles a bright green leaf— but it’s one of the most extraordinary creatures on our planet. Living in marshes along the coast of North America, it can go about a year without eating. During that time, it lives l

Mysteries of vernacular: Venom - Rachael Teel and Jessica Oreck Jul 26, 2026 227 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mysteries-of-vernacular-venom-jessica-oreck-and-rachael-teelHow did venom get its poisonous meaning? Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel follow venom from something to desire to explicit reasons for avoiding a snake.Lesson by Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel, animation by Jessica Oreck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s that ringing in your ears? - Marc Fagelson Jul 26, 2026 504 Travel into the auditory system to explore the constant ringing sensation of tinnitus, why it happens and how to treat it. --Tinnitus has been bothering humanity since Ancient Babylon, plaguing everyone from Leonardo da Vinci to Charles Darwin. Today, roughly one in seven people worldwide experiences this auditory sensation. So what exactly is tinnitus, and where does this persistent sound come fr

What is chemical equilibrium? - George Zaidan and Charles Morton Jul 26, 2026 309 View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/if-molecules-were-people-george-zaidan-and-charles-mortonWhen molecules collide, chemical reactions can occur -- causing major structural changes akin to getting a new arm on your face! George Zaidan and Charles Morton playfully imagine chemical systems as busy city streets, and the colliding molecules within them as your average, limb-swapping joes.Les

The post-crisis customer - John Gerzema Jul 25, 2026 1399 John Gerzema says there's an upside to the recent financial crisis -- the opportunity for positive change. In this talk, he identifies four major cultural shifts driving new consumer behavior and shows how businesses are evolving to connect with thoughtful spending. (Filmed at TEDxKC.)Talk by John Gerzema. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do dumplings look like throughout the world? - Miranda Brown Jul 25, 2026 447 Trace the diverse and delicious history of dumplings, from their first recorded origins to their spread across the Asian continent and beyond.--As archaeologists pored over ancient tombs in western China, they discovered some surprisingly well-preserved and familiar relics. Though hardened over 1,000 years, there sat little crescent-shaped dumplings. So who invented these plump pockets of perfecti

Let's put contraception back on the agenda - Melinda Gates Jul 25, 2026 2121 Contraception. The topic has become controversial in recent years. But should it be? Melinda Gates believes that many of the world's social change issues depend on ensuring that women are able to control their rate of having kids. In this significant talk, she makes the case for the world to re-examine an issue she intends to lend her voice to for the next decade. (Filmed at TEDxChange.)Talk by Me

Protecting the brain against concussion - Kim Gorgens Jul 25, 2026 786 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/protecting-the-brain-against-concussion-kim-gorgens In a lively talk, neuropsychologist Kim Gorgens makes the case for better protecting our brains against the risk of concussion -- with a compelling pitch for putting helmets on kids. (Filmed at TEDxDU.) Talk by Kim Gorgens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do parrots talk? - Grace Smith-Vidaurre and Tim Wright Jul 25, 2026 468 Explore the specialized anatomy that allows parrots to talk, scream, curse, and recite facts like humans. --Whether they’re belting Beyoncé, head-banging to classic rock, or rattling off curse words at zoo-goers, parrots are constantly astounding us. They are among the only animals that produce human speech, and some parrots do it almost uncannily well. How is this possible? Grace Smith-Vidaurre a

Can you solve Dongle's Difficult Dilemma? - Dennis E. Shasha Jul 25, 2026 506 Practice more problem-solving at https://brilliant.org/TedEd--According to legend, three galactic terraformers shaped your planet into a paradise. When their work was done, they left the source of their power behind: three golden hexagons, hidden in dungeons full of traps and monsters. If one person were to bring all three together, they could reinvent the world however they saw fit. Can you colle

Ethical conundrums in HIV research - Boghuma Kabisen Titanji Jul 25, 2026 955 It's an all too common story: after participating in an HIV clinical trial, a woman in sub-Saharan Africa is left without the resources to buy a bus ticket to her health clinic, let alone to afford life-saving antiretrovirals. Boghuma Kabisen Titanji asks an important question: how can researchers looking for a cure make sure they're not taking advantage of those most affected by the pandemic? (Fi

What happens to your body at the peak of Mount Everest - Andrew Lovering Jul 25, 2026 476 Explore what happens in your body when you don’t acclimate to higher altitudes and the dangers of altitude sickness.--If you teleported from sea level to the top of Mount Everest, things would go bad fast. At an altitude of 8,848 meters, you would likely suffocate in minutes. However, for people that make this journey over the course of a month, it’s possible to survive at the peak for hours. So w

Why democracy is vital - Rory Stewart Jul 25, 2026 1166 The public is losing faith in democracy, says British MP Rory Stewart. Iraq and Afghanistan's new democracies are deeply corrupt; meanwhile, 84 percent of people in Britain say politics is broken. In this important talk, Stewart sounds a call to action to rebuild democracy, starting with recognizing why democracy is important -- not as a tool, but as an ideal. Talk by Rory Stewart. Learn more abou

Can the ocean run out of oxygen? - Kate Slabosky Jul 25, 2026 545 Get to know how a healthy marine ecosystem functions, and what creates the lethal conditions that lead to dead zones. --For most of the year, the Gulf of Mexico is teeming with marine life, from tiny crustaceans to massive whales. But every summer, disaster strikes. Around May, animals begin to flee the area. And soon, creatures that can’t swim or can’t swim fast enough begin to suffocate and die

What's the ideal country to live in? Jul 25, 2026 346 Discover the shortcomings of using GDP to measure a country’s well-being, and what alternatives can be used to gauge quality of life.--What’s the best country to live in? Is it the one with the best food? The longest life expectancy? The best weather? For the past 70 years, most governments have relied heavily on a single number: the Gross Domestic Product, or GDP. But it was never intended for it

What creates a total solar eclipse? - Andy Cohen Jul 25, 2026 331 Explore the science of what causes total solar eclipses, and find out how civilizations throughout history reacted to them.--How can the shadow of the tiny moon eclipse the sight of the gargantuan sun? By sheer coincidence, the disc of the sun is 400x larger than the disc of the moon, but it's 390x farther from Earth -- which means that when they align just right, the moon blocks all but the sun's

The enigma of the bat genome - Emma Teeling Jul 25, 2026 1330 In Western society, bats are often characterized as creepy, even evil. Zoologist Emma Teeling encourages us to rethink our attitude toward bats, whose unique and fascinating biology gives us insight into our own genetic makeup. (Filmed at TEDxDublin.)Talk by Emma Teeling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The origins of drama as a literary art - Mindy Ploeckelmann Jul 25, 2026 331 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-emergence-of-drama-as-a-literary-art-mindy-ploeckelmannWhen presented with the problem of hoards of illiterate commoners, English clergymen in the 11th century created plays to spread word about the Bible. Eventually, the plays moved out of the church and into the streets. Mindy Ploeckelmann tracks the development of drama from mystery plays to moral

How alcohol brings on hangovers - Judy Grisel Jul 25, 2026 456 Discover how alcohol impacts your body’s processes and causes hangovers, and find out what causes the most common hangover symptoms.--The molecule responsible for hangovers is ethanol, which we colloquially refer to as alcohol. Ethanol is present in all alcoholic beverages, and generally speaking, the more ethanol, the greater the potential for a hangover. So, how exactly does alcohol cause a hang

The tiniest solution to one of our greatest problems - Tierney Thys and Christian Sardet Jul 25, 2026 519 Explore the possibility of plastivores— organisms that can eat and break down plastic— helping reduce the plastic waste on Earth.--Each year humanity produces roughly 400 million tons of plastic, 80% of which is discarded as trash. Of that plastic waste, only one-tenth is recycled. 60% gets incinerated or goes into the landfills, and 30% leaks out into the environment. Fortunately, there are micro

Spotting grizzly bears from space - David Laskin Jul 25, 2026 359 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/tracking-grizzly-bears-from-space-david-laskinGrizzly bears have adapted cleverly to their diminishing habitat by developing a mostly vegetarian diet in sync with plant growing seasons. Using NASA satellites, scientists track the shifting, interrelated patterns of grizzlies and plants. David Laskin explains how this data can help protect the threatened b

The science of macaroni salad: What's in a molecule? - Josh Kurz Jul 25, 2026 300 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-science-of-macaroni-salad-what-s-in-a-molecule-josh-kurzWhat do macaroni salad and gasoline have in common? They are made of exactly the same stuff -- specifically, the same atoms, just rearranged. So, while we put the former in our mouths and the latter in our cars, they are really just variations on the same atomic theme. Josh Kurz breaks macaroni

Demolition, disease, and death: Building the Panama Canal - Alex Gendler Jul 25, 2026 500 Discover what it took to build the Panama Canal, and how this colossal construction project changed the region. --In the 19th century, the California gold rush brought thousands of settlers to America's west coast. But finding gold may have been easier than transporting it back east. The only hope for avoiding a grueling six month wagon journey was to travel the narrowest portion of the continent

Hagfish: Nature's slimiest creatures - Noah R. Bressman and Douglas Fudge Jul 25, 2026 470 Discover the extraordinary capabilities of hagfish, the slime-producing fish that has survived on Earth for over 300 million years.--In 2017, a truck screeched to a halt. One of its containers slid off, hit a car, and spilled its contents— thousands of kilograms of hagfish. The result of this accident was an absolute mess: the highway was coated in a thick slime that took the fire department 7 hou

How do you select where to go in a zombie apocalypse? - David Hunter Jul 25, 2026 323 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-do-you-decide-where-to-go-in-a-zombie-apocalypse-david-hunterCan geography save your life in case of, say, a zombie apocalypse? Understanding the push and pull factors that create geographic movement -- or how people, resources, and even ideas travel -- might help you determine the location that's best for survival. David Hunter playfully analyzes th

What causes yeast infections, and how can you clear them? - Liesbeth Demuyser Jul 25, 2026 465 Explore the common causes and treatments of yeast infections, which affect 3 out of every 4 people with a vagina.--The vagina harbors hundreds of different kinds of microorganisms. Candida yeasts are usually present in small quantities and most of the time, these fungi are harmless. But, under certain conditions, Candida yeasts can cause infections. One species in particular is the usual culprit o

Cheese, dogs and a pill to eradicate mosquitoes and end malaria - Bart Knols Jul 25, 2026 845 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/cheese-dogs-and-a-pill-to-kill-mosquitoes-and-end-malaria-bart-knolsWe can use a mosquito's own instincts against her. At TEDxMaastricht speaker Bart Knols demos the imaginative solutions his team is developing to fight malaria -- including limburger cheese and a deadly pill. (Filmed at TEDxMaastricht.)Talk by Bart Knols. Learn more about your ad choices

A brief history of plural word...s - John McWhorter Jul 25, 2026 371 View full lesson here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-brief-history-of-plural-word-s-john-mcwhorterAll it takes is a simple S to make most English words plural. But it hasn't always worked that way (and there are, of course, exceptions). John McWhorter looks back to the good old days when English was newly split from German -- and books, names and eggs were beek, namen and eggru!Lesson by John McWhor

What we're gathering from 5,000 brains - Read Montague Jul 25, 2026 1088 Mice, bugs and hamsters are no longer the only way to study the brain. Functional MRI (fMRI) allows scientists to map brain activity in living, breathing, decision-making human beings. Read Montague gives an overview of how this technology is helping us understand the complicated ways in which we interact with each other. Talk by Read Montague. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/

The 4 most significant threats to humanity's continued survival Jul 25, 2026 488 Dig into the 4 biggest existential risks that threaten the survival of humanity, and explore how we can safeguard our future.--With the invention of the atomic bomb, humanity gained the power to destroy itself for the first time in our history. Since then, our risk of either extinction or the collapse of civilization has steadily increased. Just how likely are we to destroy ourselves? And what pos

The rise of modern populism - Takis S. Pappas Jul 25, 2026 546 Dig into the political phenomenon of modern populism, how it rises, and the impact it can have on a democratic country. --In many democratic countries, charismatic leaders vilify political opponents, disparage institutions, and claim to be for the people. Some critics label this approach as authoritarian or fascist, while others argue that these leaders are manipulating voters. This style of polit

The rise and fall of the medieval Islamic Realm - Petra Sijpesteijn and Birte Kristiansen Jul 25, 2026 470 Trace the rise and fall of the Islamic Empire, from the prophet Muhammad in the 7th century to the sacking of Baghdad. --In the 7th century CE, the prophet Muhammad united the people of the Arabian Peninsula through the formation of Islam. Over the next 30 years, caliphs conquered vast areas beyond Arabia, including their mighty neighbors the Persians and Byzantines. But an empire this vast was at

A new approach to identifying autism - Ami Klin Jul 25, 2026 1649 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-new-way-to-diagnose-autism-ami-klinEarly diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder can improve the lives of everyone affected, but the complex network of causes make it incredibly difficult to predict. At TEDxPeachtree, Ami Klin describes a new early detection method that uses eye-tracking technologies to gauge babies' social engagement skills and reliably

What doctors don't know about the medicines they dispense - Ben Goldacre Jul 25, 2026 1094 When a new drug gets tested, the results of the trials should be published for the rest of the medical world -- except much of the time, negative or inconclusive findings go unreported, leaving doctors and researchers in the dark. In this impassioned talk, Ben Goldacre explains why these unreported instances of negative data are especially misleading and dangerous. Talk by Ben Goldacre. Learn more

The hidden cost of gold - Lyla Latif Jul 25, 2026 461 Dig into how foreign corporations exploit African nations like Mali for their gold mining, and often rob them of proper compensation.--In 2020, Mali produced over 71 tons of gold— an amount worth billions of dollars. But Mali saw only $850 million dollars from that gold. And this situation isn’t unique: a number of other gold-rich countries in Africa aren’t seeing the income they should given the

Can the economy expand forever? Jul 25, 2026 528 Is infinite economic growth possible on a planet with finite resources? Explore how countries can balance efficiency with sustainability.--Many economists think that an eternally growing economy is necessary to keep improving people’s lives, and that if the global economy stops growing, people would fight more over the fixed amount of value that exists, rather than working to generate new value. W

The secret mechanisms of the adolescent brain - Sarah-Jayne Blakemore Jul 25, 2026 1211 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-mysterious-workings-of-the-adolescent-brain-sarah-jayne-blakemoreWhy do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups? Cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically "teenage" behavior is caused by the growing and developing brain

Why you will fail to have a great career - Larry Smith Jul 25, 2026 1260 In this funny and blunt talk, Larry Smith pulls no punches when he calls out the absurd excuses people invent when they fail to pursue their passions. (Filmed at TEDxUW.)Talk by Larry Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evolution’s great mystery - Michael Corballis Jul 25, 2026 447 Learn how to identify, develop, and share your best ideas with TED Masterclass: http://bit.ly/tedmasterclass --What we call language is something more specific than communication. Language is about sharing what’s in our minds: stories, opinions, questions, the past or future, imagined times or places, ideas. It is fundamentally open-ended, and can be used to say an unlimited number of things. So w

My immigration story - Tan Le Jul 24, 2026 1021 In 2010, technologist Tan Le took the TEDGlobal stage to demo a powerful new interface. But now, at TEDxWomen, she tells a very personal story: the story of her family -- mother, grandmother and sister -- fleeing Vietnam and building a new life. (Filmed at TEDxWomen.)Talk by Tan Le. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the weather actually becoming more extreme? - R. Saravanan Jul 24, 2026 486 Explore the differences between weather and climate – what they are, how we predict them, and what those predictions can tell us. --From 2016 to 2019, the world saw record-breaking heat waves, rampant wildfires, and the longest run of category 5 tropical cyclones on record. The number of extreme weather events has been increasing for the last 40 years, and current predictions suggest that trend wi

An unexpected place of healing - Ramona Pierson Jul 24, 2026 957 When Ramona Pierson was 22, she was hit by a drunk driver and spent 18 months in a coma. In this talk, she tells the remarkable story of her recovery -- drawing on the collective skills and wisdom of a senior citizens' home. (Filmed at TEDxDU.)Talk by Ramona Pierson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to outsmart the Prisoner’s Dilemma - Lucas Husted Jul 24, 2026 509 Puzzle through the classic game theory challenge, The Prisoner’s Dilemma, and decide: would you choose to spare or sacrifice? --Two perfectly rational gingerbread men, Crispy and Chewy, are out strolling when they’re caught by a fox. Instead of simply eating them, he decides to put their friendship to the test with a cruel dilemma. He’ll ask each gingerbread man whether he’d opt to Spare or Sacrif

My friend Richard Feynman - Leonard Susskind Jul 24, 2026 1226 What's it like to be pals with a genius? Onstage, physicist Leonard Susskind spins a few stories about his friendship with the legendary Richard Feynman, discussing his unconventional approach to problems both serious and ... less so. (Filmed at TEDxCaltech.)Talk by Leonard Susskind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fish that walk on land - Noah R. Bressman Jul 24, 2026 511 Explore the challenges facing amphibious fish when they leave water and the ingenious ways they survive on land. --We think of fish as completely aquatic animals. But there are actually hundreds of fish species that are amphibious, meaning that they possess adaptations that enable them to survive on land. Once on land, however, they face suffocation, drying up, and being hunted by land predators.

Using nature to grow batteries - Angela Belcher Jul 23, 2026 850 Inspired by an abalone shell, Angela Belcher programs viruses to make elegant nanoscale structures that humans can use. Selecting for high-performing genes through directed evolution, she's produced viruses that can construct powerful new batteries, clean hydrogen fuels and record-breaking solar cells. In her talk, she shows us how it's done. (Filmed at TEDxCaltech.)Talk by Angela Belcher. Learn m

Can you solve the sorting hat riddle? - Dan Katz and Alex Rosenthal Jul 23, 2026 524 Practice more problem-solving at https://brilliant.org/TedEd/--It’s your first day at Magnificent Marigold’s Magical Macademy. But before you can learn your first spell you must get through the sorting ceremony. And the sorting hat has chosen you for a special challenge. The Macademy had 8 founders who established four houses, and there was once a mysterious fifth house. Can you figure out who fou

A radical experiment in empathy - Sam Richards Jul 23, 2026 1492 By leading the Americans in his audience step by step through the thought process, sociologist Sam Richards sets an extraordinary challenge: can they understand -- not approve of, but understand -- the motivations of an Iraqi insurgent? And by extension, can anyone truly understand and empathize with another? (Filmed at TEDxPSU.)Talk by Sam Richards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho

Why people fall for misinformation - Joseph Isaac Jul 23, 2026 480 How does a fact become a misconception? Dig into the world of misinformation to see how facts can become distorted and misleading.--In 1901, David Hänig published research that led to what we know today as the taste map: an illustration that divides the tongue into four separate areas. It has since been published in textbooks and newspapers. There is just one problem: the map is wrong. So how do m

A whistleblower you haven't heard - Geert Chatrou Jul 23, 2026 1001 In this engaging talk, world champion whistler Geert Chatrou performs the whimsical "Eleonora" by A. Honhoff, and his own "Fête de la Belle." In a fascinating interlude, he talks about what brought him to the craft. (Filmed at TEDxRotterdam .)Talk by Geert Chatrou. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are all of your memories real? - Daniel L. Schacter Jul 23, 2026 482 Dig into the psychology of how memories are susceptible to false information and why we shouldn’t treat them as truth.--In a 1990’s study, participants recalled getting lost in a shopping mall as children. Some shared these memories in vivid detail, but there was one problem: none of these people had actually gotten lost in a mall. They produced these false memories after psychologists told them t

How long should your naps be? - Sara C. Mednick Jul 22, 2026 462 Download a free audiobook version of "Take a Nap: Change Your Life" by Sara Mednick or Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--Your eyes get heavy and gradually close… But wait! It’s only lunch time and you still have so much to do. Would taking a nap help? Or would it derail your day? Well, that depends on a few things— especially wh

Gaming to re-engage boys in learning - Ali Carr-Chellman Jul 22, 2026 1035 In her talk, Ali Carr-Chellman pinpoints three reasons boys are tuning out of school in droves, and lays out her bold plan to re-engage them: bringing their culture into the classroom, with new rules that let boys be boys, and video games that teach as well as entertain. (Filmed at TEDxPSU.)Talk by Ali Carr-Chellman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quarrying literature for deeper meanings - Amy E. Harter Jul 22, 2026 357 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mining-literature-for-deeper-meanings-amy-e-harterWriting a great English paper can be tough because literature doesn't always reveal its deeper meanings immediately. You might not know Mr. Darcy's true feelings for Elizabeth Bennett in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" or grasp the complex moral universe of Toni Morrison's "Beloved" at first reading.

This unusual trick will help you summon an army of worms - Kenny Coogan Jul 22, 2026 464 Discover the tradition of worm grunting, and find out why earthworms come to the surface when they sense vibrations in the earth.--In the middle of Florida’s Apalachicola National Forest, a bizarre, almost magical scene is unraveling. Sliding a metal strip over a wooden stake, a master summoner is sending deep croaking noises reverberating throughout the area. And, as if in a trance, hundreds of e

Why did Phillis Wheatley slip away? - Charita Gainey Jul 22, 2026 461 Get to know the life and works of poet Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved woman who became one of colonial America’s most famous writers.--In 1775, General George Washington received a poem from one of colonial America’s most famous writers. Its verses praised the burgeoning revolution, invoking the goddess of their new nation to aid the general’s cause. But this ode to liberty wasn’t written by some a

Plato's ring allegory - Alex Gendler Jul 22, 2026 503 Download a free audiobook version of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring“ and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato recounted the legend of the Ring of Gyges in “Republic.” The story of the ring surfaces as the philosopher, Socrates, and his student discuss why people act justly: is it because it’s

How to get a word added to the dictionary - Ilan Stavans Jul 22, 2026 487 Explore the history of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and find out how old words get redefined and how new words are added. --While the concept of a dictionary dates back to ancient civilizations, the first English dictionary wasn’t published until 1604. In the centuries that followed, many more dictionaries were written by individual authors who chose what to include or exclude, with most quickly

Why architects need to employ their ears - Julian Treasure Jul 22, 2026 816 Because of poor acoustics, students in classrooms miss 50 percent of what their teachers say and patients in hospitals have trouble sleeping because they continually feel stressed. Julian Treasure sounds a call to action for designers to pay attention to the "invisible architecture" of sound. Talk by Julian Treasure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A brief history of plastic Jul 22, 2026 498 Join #TeamSeas! Together, we're going to raise $30M to remove 30M pounds of plastic and trash from our ocean, rivers and beaches. Learn more and get involved here: https://bit.ly/3mrdV3JTrace the history of the invention of plastic, and how the material ushered in what became known as the plastics century.--For centuries, billiard balls were made of ivory from elephant tusks. But when excessive hu

A census of the ocean - Paul Snelgrove Jul 22, 2026 1412 Oceanographer Paul Snelgrove shares the results of a ten-year project with one goal: to take a census of all the life in the oceans. He shares amazing photos of some of the surprising finds of the Census of Marine Life. Talk by Paul Snelgrove. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gyotaku: The classical Japanese art of printing fish - K. Erica Dodge Jul 22, 2026 322 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/gyotaku-the-ancient-japanese-art-of-printing-fish-k-erica-dodgeHow did fishermen record their trophy catches before the invention of photography? In 19th century Japan, fishing boats were equipped with rice paper, sumi-e ink, and brushes in order to create gyoktaku: elaborate rubbings of freshly caught fish. K. Erica Dodge recounts the story of this comp

Why a sausage can manage what your gloves cannot - Charles Wallace and Sajan Saini Jul 22, 2026 470 Dig into the science of touchscreens, and find out the difference between the two most common types: capacitive and resistive.--In 2010, South Korea experienced a particularly cold winter. People couldn’t activate their smartphones while wearing gloves, so they began wielding snack sausages— causing one company to see a 40% rise in sausage sales. So, what could sausages do that gloves couldn’t? In

Producing a TED-Ed Lesson: Animation Jul 22, 2026 472 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/making-a-ted-ed-lesson-animationEver wondered how a TED-Ed animation is made? Go behind-the-scenes of "How do cancer cells behave differently from healthy ones" with educator George Zaidan, animation director Biljana Labovic, and animator Lisa LaBracio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The positive effects of daydreaming - Elizabeth Cox Jul 22, 2026 347 Enter the mind of a bored teenager to discover what happens in the brain when we daydream and find out what purpose it serves.--On a daily basis, you spend between a third and half of your waking hours daydreaming. That may sound like a huge waste of time, but scientists think it must have some purpose, or humans wouldn’t have evolved to do so much of it. So, what exactly happens in the brain whil

The secret formula to Agatha Christie's whodunits - Jamie Bernthal Jul 22, 2026 475 Dig into Agatha Christie’s writing style to find out how she crafted her mystery novels and how to employ these strategies in your own work. --With almost 100 mystery novels, each one a cleverly constructed puzzle box of clues, misdirection, and human drama, Agatha Christie is the best-selling novelist of all time. Her eccentric detectives, clever clues, and simplified suspects have stumped countl

What is the Internet, exactly? - Andrew Blum Jul 22, 2026 749 When a squirrel chewed through a cable and knocked him offline, journalist Andrew Blum started wondering what the Internet was really made of. So he set out to go see it -- the underwater cables, secret switches and other physical bits that make up the net. Talk by Andrew Blum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building a TED-Ed Lesson: Creative process Jul 22, 2026 359 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/making-a-ted-ed-lesson-creative-process Ever wondered how a TED-Ed animation is made? Go behind-the-scenes of "How do cancer cells behave differently from healthy ones" with educator George Zaidan, animation director Biljana Labovic, and animator Lisa LaBracio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What nonprofits can learn from Coca-Cola - Melinda French Gates Jul 22, 2026 1333 In her talk, Melinda Gates makes a provocative case for nonprofits taking a cue from corporations such as Coca-Cola, whose plugged-in, global network of marketers and distributors ensures that every remote village wants -- and can get -- a Coke. Why shouldn't this work for condoms, sanitation, vaccinations too? (Filmed at TEDxChange.)Talk by Melinda French Gates. Learn more about your ad choices.

The misconception of Zeus' test - Iseult Gillespie Jul 22, 2026 533 Dig into the myth of Baucis and Philemon, a couple who unknowingly showed the gods hospitality after their neighbors refused.--It was dark when two mysterious, shrouded figures appeared in a hillside village. The strangers knocked on every door in town, asking for food and shelter. But, again and again, they were turned away. Soon, there was just one door left: that of a small, thatched shack. Wou

Making a TED-Ed Lesson: Two ways to animate slam poetry Jul 22, 2026 489 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/become-a-slam-poet-in-five-steps-gayle-danleyView original lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/become-a-slam-poet-in-five-steps-gayle-danleySlam poetry packs an emotional punch by using powerful verbal metaphors; animation can do the same using visual tools. TED-Ed animators show how two separate techniques -- rotoscoping and more traditional hand-drawn an

How one design flaw almost toppled a skyscraper - Alex Gendler Jul 22, 2026 480 Dig into the unique engineering of New York City’s Citicorp Center tower, and the design flaw that threatened to topple it.--In 1978, Diane Hartley was writing her undergraduate architecture thesis when she made a shocking discovery. After weeks of poring over the Citicorp Center’s building plans, she’d stumbled on an oversight that threatened to topple the 59-story tower into one of New York City

Unraveling maps - Aris Venetikidis Jul 22, 2026 1400 Map designer Aris Venetikidis is fascinated by the maps we draw in our minds as we move around a city -- less like street maps, more like schematics or wiring diagrams, abstract images of relationships between places. How can we learn from these mental maps to make better real ones? As a test case, he remakes the notorious Dublin bus map. (Filmed at TEDxDublin)Talk by Aris Venetikidis. Learn more

A brief chronicle of Spanish - Ilan Stavans Jul 22, 2026 486 Trace the history and evolution of the Spanish language, from its origins in the 3rd century BCE to modern day. --Beginning in the third century BCE, the Romans conquered the Iberian peninsula. This period gave rise to several regional languages in the area that’s now Spain, including Castilian, Catalan, and Galician. One of these would become Spanish— but not for another 1,500 years. Those years

Developing a TED-Ed Lesson: Concept and design Jul 22, 2026 301 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/making-a-ted-ed-lesson-concept-and-designEver wondered how a TED-Ed animation is made? Go behind-the-scenes of "How do cancer cells behave differently from healthy ones" with educator George Zaidan, animation director Biljana Labovic, and animator Lisa LaBracio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boltzmann brain mystery - Fabio Pacucci Jul 22, 2026 504 Download a free audiobook version of “The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle“ and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--How do you know you’re a person who has lived your life, rather than a just-formed brain full of artificial memories, momentarily hallucinating a reality that doesn’t actually exist? That may sound absurd, but it’s kept several generations of top cosm

How friendship alters your brain - Shannon Odell Jul 22, 2026 367 Dig into what happens to your brain during adolescence that changes how you value, understand, and connect to friends.--If it seems like friendships formed in adolescence are particularly special, that's because they are. Childhood, adolescent, and adult friendships all manifest differently in part because the brain works in different ways at those stages of life. During adolescence, there are cha

The Japanese folktale of the selfish scholar - Iseult Gillespie Jul 22, 2026 464 Dive into the Japanese folktale of a scholar’s quest to purify his body and mind, and the spiritual secret he discovers along the way.--In ancient Kyoto, a Shinto scholar found himself distracted from his prayers and sought to perform a purification ritual that would cleanse him. He decided to travel to the revered Hie Shrine; walking the path alone, ignoring any distractions in his quest for bala

Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a supermodel - Cameron Russell Jul 22, 2026 802 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/looks-aren-t-everything-believe-me-i-m-a-model-cameron-russellCameron Russell admits she won "a genetic lottery": she's tall, pretty and an underwear model. But don't judge her by her looks. In this fearless talk, she takes a wry look at the industry that had her looking highly seductive at barely 16-years-old.Talk by Cameron Russell. Learn more about yo

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