View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/less-stuff-more-happiness-graham-hill Writer and designer Graham Hill asks: Can having less stuff, in less room, lead to more happiness? He makes the case for taking up less space, and lays out three rules for editing your life. Talk by Graham Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Download a free audiobook version of “Project Hail Mary" and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed -- Since the 1950s, governments, companies, and researchers have been planting flags among the stars. But while it might seem like there’s plenty of room in space, some pieces of celestial real estate are more valuable than others. As far as human space exploration is concerned, Lagrange points may be the most important places in our solar system. So what exactly are th...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-is-power-divided-in-the-united-states-government-belinda-stutzman Article II of the United States Constitution allows for three separate branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial), along with a system of checks and balances should any branch get too powerful. Belinda Stutzman breaks down each branch and its constitutionally-entitled powers. Lesson by Belinda Stutzman, animation by Johnny Chew. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...
Explore the science of wastewater treatment, and find out why water reuse has become increasingly common worldwide. -- In 2003, Singapore’s national water agency launched an unprecedented program to provide more than 50% of their nation’s water supply by recycling wastewater. The program had been planned for decades to ensure the island nation never ran out of clean water. But is it really safe to reuse anything we flush down the toilet? Francis de los Reyes explains the science of wastewater tr...
Most politicians choose their words carefully, to shape the reality they hope to create. But does it work? Etymologist Mark Forsyth shares a few entertaining word-origin stories from British and American history (for instance, did you ever wonder how George Washington became "president"?) and draws a surprising conclusion. (From TEDxHousesofParliament in London) Talk by Mark Forsyth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Get to know the story of Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old glacier mummy who researchers discovered had been murdered. -- In September 1991, two hikers discovered a corpse emerging from the ice. Researchers soon realized they were looking at the mummified body of a man who’d lived about 5,300 years ago, and theorized he got caught in bad weather and froze. However, a shocking discovery revealed his true cause of death and upended his story. So, how did he die? Albert Zink uncovers the truth abou...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-cameras-see-that-our-eyes-don-t-bill-shribman Our eyes are practically magical, but they cannot see everything. For instance, the naked eye cannot see the moment where all four of a horse's legs are in the air or the gradual life cycle of plants -- but cameras can capture these moments. Bill Shribman gives examples where photography can pick up where the eye leaves off. Lesson by Bill Shribman, animation by Flaming Medusa Studios Inc. Learn more a...
Explore the differences between farmed meat, plant-based meat, and lab-grown meat, and find out which is best for you and the planet. -- In 2021, a survey of over 1,000 Americans found that nearly two-thirds had eaten plant-based meat alternatives in the past year. Many cited potential health and environmental benefits as their motivation. But are these alternative meats actually better for us and the planet? Carolyn Beans investigates the differences between farmed meat, plant-based meat, and l...
View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-beginning-of-the-universe-for-beginners-tom-whyntie How did the universe begin -- and how is it expanding? CERN physicist Tom Whyntie shows how cosmologists and particle physicists explore these questions by replicating the heat, energy, and activity of the first few seconds of our universe, from right after the Big Bang. Lesson by Tom Whyntie, animation by Hornet Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Explore the diverse and vital ecosystem of the Everglades, and discover why the alligator is so essential to the region. -- Despite alligators ruling the swamplands of the Everglades for millennia, the last 500 years have brought deadly new predators that challenge their reign. And the origins of these international invaders are just as unexpected as their impact on the Everglades. So, what exactly is threatening this biodiverse region? Kenny Coogan explores the unique and precious ecosystem. Le...
What does a disgusting image have to do with how you vote? Equipped with surveys and experiments, psychologist David Pizarro demonstrates a correlation between sensitivity to disgusting cues -- a photo of feces, an unpleasant odor -- and moral and political conservatism. (Filmed at TEDxEast.) Talk by David Pizarro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dig into why jellyfish populations have increased, and how leatherback sea turtles can help get their numbers under control. -- Over the past two decades, jellyfish have begun to overwhelm our oceans. If things stay on their current trajectory, we could be headed for a future where the entire ocean is thick with jellyfish. So, is there anything that can keep these gelatinous creatures under control? Mariela Pajuelo and Javier Antonio Quinones take a look at the jellyfish’s most ancient predator....
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/self-assembly-the-power-of-organizing-the-unorganized-skylar-tibbits From something as familiar as our bodies to things vast as the formation of galaxies, we can observe the process of self-assembly, or when unordered parts come together in an organized structure. Skylar Tibbits explains how we see self-assembly at work in biology and chemistry -- and even in our future technologies. Lesson by Skylar Tibbits, animation by London Squared Productions. Le...
Explore the psychology behind how good and bad habits are formed, and get tips on how to manage these behaviors. -- Many people deal with a nail-biting habit at some point in their lives. Some will go to great lengths to try to stop, employing strategies like dipping their hands in salt or wearing gloves. And while not all of us are nail-biters, most of us do have a habit we’d like to kick. So, what's the best way to break one? Explore how habits are formed, and discover tips on how to manage th...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/healthier-men-one-moustache-at-a-time-adam-garone Adam Garone has an impressive moustache, and it's for a good cause. A co-founder of Movember, Garone's initiative to raise awareness for men's health -- by having men grow out their moustaches every November -- began as a dare in a bar in 2003. Now, it's a worldwide movement that raised $126 million for prostate cancer research last year. Talk by Adam Garone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...
Explore the differences between how a car’s internal combustion engine and an electric vehicle’s induction motor use fuel. -- In 2015, two men drove a Volkswagen across the US on just over 100 gallons of fuel. Their 81-mile-per-gallon performance doubled the car’s estimated fuel rating, and set the record for the lowest fuel consumption ride of a diesel car. The duo were experts in techniques that maximize fuel efficiency. So, how did their strategy save fuel? Shannon Odell explores what’s going...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-light-switch-for-neurons-ed-boyden Ed Boyden shows how, by inserting genes for light-sensitive proteins into brain cells, he can selectively activate or de-activate specific neurons with fiber-optic implants. With this unprecedented level of control, he's managed to cure mice of analogs of PTSD and certain forms of blindness. On the horizon: neural prosthetics. Session host Juan Enriquez leads a brief post-talk Q&A. Talk by Ed Boyden. Learn more ...
Practice more problem-solving at https://brilliant.org/TedEd -- Ah, spring. As Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest, it’s your favorite season. Humans and animals look to you to balance the bounty of the natural world which, like any self-respecting Goddess, you do with a pair of magical dice. But then, along comes the trickster god Loki, who invades your land and curses your dice. Can you fix the dice and keep the world in perfect harmony? Dan Finkel shows how. Lesson by Dan Finkel, directed by Igor...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/different-ways-of-knowing-daniel-tammet Daniel Tammet has linguistic, numerical and visual synesthesia -- meaning that his perception of words, numbers and colors are woven together into a new way of perceiving and understanding the world. The author of "Born on a Blue Day," Tammet shares his art and his passion for languages in this glimpse into his beautiful mind. Talk by Daniel Tammet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Explore how your circadian system acts as an internal clock to keep your body functioning. -- An early bird rises with the sun, springing out of bed abuzz with energy. Meanwhile, a night owl groggily rises much later, not hitting their stride until late in the day. How many people are truly night owls or early birds? And are our sleep schedules predetermined at birth, or can we change them? Explore how our circadian systems act as internal clocks to keep our...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-rosetta-stone-for-the-indus-script-rajesh-rao Rajesh Rao is fascinated by "the mother of all crossword puzzles" - how to decipher the 4000 year old Indus script. At TED 2011, he tells how he is enlisting modern computational techniques to read the Indus language, the key piece to understanding this ancient civilization. Talk by Rajesh Rao. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dig into the truth about piranhas and their feeding frenzies, and find out what would likely happen if you fell into their waters. -- You’re peering into the Amazon River when, suddenly, you lose your footing and fall. Piranhas dart about in the rapidly approaching water. So, are you doomed? Will your fall trigger a feeding frenzy that will skeletonize your body within minutes? Antonio Machado-Allison shares what we know about these purportedly ferocious fish. Lesson by Antonio Machado-Allison, ...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/try-something-new-for-30-days-matt-cutts Is there something you've always meant to do, wanted to do, but just ... haven't? Matt Cutts suggests: Try it for 30 days. This short, lighthearted talk offers a neat way to think about setting and achieving goals. Talk by Matt Cutts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Discover the symbolism of Kazimir Malevich’s “Black Square,” and how it pushed the boundaries of what art is and what it can be. -- In 1915, an exhibition of radical artworks opened in Russia. Many pieces pushed the boundaries of form and style, but one was particularly controversial: Kazimir Malevich’s “Black Square.” Criticized as simple and uninspired, Malevich’s work is more complicated than it first appears— and may not be a painting of a black square at all. Allison Leigh digs into the art...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/unintended-consequences-edward-tenner Every new invention changes the world -- in ways both intentional and unexpected. Historian Edward Tenner tells stories that illustrate the under-appreciated gap between our ability to innovate and our ability to foresee the consequences. Talk by Edward Tenner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dig into how African clawed frogs can help detect human pregnancy, and how their use in experiments had unintended consequences. -- In the early 20th century, pregnancy testing required a slippery piece of equipment: a female African clawed frog. For decades, hospitals and research labs had a trusted supply of these handy creatures, employing their help in testing for pregnancy and in numerous other scientific endeavors. So what makes these frogs so special? Carly Anne York shares the secrets of...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/doodlers-unite-sunni-brown Studies show that sketching and doodling improve our comprehension -- and our creative thinking. So why do we still feel embarrassed when we're caught doodling in a meeting? Sunni Brown says: Doodlers, unite! She makes the case for unlocking your brain via pad and pen. Talk by Sunni Brown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Explore the science of what attracts mosquitos, and find out why mosquitos bite some people more than others. -- Some swear they’re cursed to be hunted by mosquitos while their close-by companions are regularly left unscathed. Are mosquitos really attracted to some people more than others? And if so, is there anything we can do about it? Maria Elena De Obaldia digs into what factors make people tasty targets for these pesky insects. Lesson by Maria Elena De Obaldia, directed by Anton Bogaty. Thi...
Ten years of research and 500 face-to-face-interviews led Richard St. John to a collection of eight common traits in successful leaders around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Follow Maxo, a warrior of the Chimu Empire, as he navigates the Inca-conquered streets of Chan Chan to receive a secret message. -- It’s daybreak in the city of Chan Chan, and former soldier Maxo has been up all night fretting. Last night, a friend stopped by and instructed him to go to the plaza at noon to receive an important message. But with the recent defeat of their army and the overthrow of the king, answering this mysterious summons will be dangerous. Gabriel Prieto outlines a day in the...
