View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/sending-a-sundial-to-mars-bill-nye Bill Nye, otherwise known as The Science Guy, inherited his father's fascination with sundials. And so he campaigned to have sundials aboard the Spirit and Opportunity Mars exploration rovers. A look at how a small device reveals big implications as to our place in space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dig into the history of credit cards in the United States, and how they have evolved since the 1950s into the industry we know today. -- Today, credit cards are a $500 billion-a-year industry. Banks consider these lines of credit when deciding whether or not to approve loans, incentivizing customers to maintain multiple credit cards. So, how did this lending system originate? And how did they get to be so popular? Nidhi Upadhyaya digs into the history of credit cards in the United States. Lesson...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/rethinking-thinking-trevor-maber Every day, we meet people and process our interactions--making inferences and developing beliefs about the world around us. In this lesson, Trevor Maber introduces us to the idea of a ladder of inference and a process for rethinking the way we interact. Lesson by Trevor Maber, animation by TED-Ed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dig into the truffle’s unique and mysterious biology to find out what makes them so rare and the limitations of farming them. -- Truffles are one of the world’s most expensive foods— in part because global demand often outstrips supply. And truffles are becoming even more rare and more expensive as deforestation and climate change shrink their suitable terrain. But why are these fungi so rare? And why don’t we just farm more of them? Carolyn Beans digs into the truffle’s unique and somewhat myst...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/dissecting-botticelli-s-adoration-of-the-magi-james-earle The scene of the three wise men offering gifts to a newborn Jesus was widely painted during the Renaissance era, so how did painter Sandro Botticelli create a version that's still well known today? James Earle describes who and what set Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi apart in the annals of art history. Lesson by James Earle, animation by Buzzco Associates, inc. Learn more about your ad choic...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-does-math-guide-our-ships-at-sea-george-christoph Without math, would our seafaring ancestors ever have seen the world? Great mathematical thinkers and their revolutionary discoveries have an incredible story. Explore the beginnings of logarithms through the history of navigation, adventure and new worlds. Lesson by George Christoph, animation by the Hobizals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Explore different philosophers’ ideas on immortality and dig into their theories about the positives and negatives of eternal life. -- While cleaning out your uncle’s attic you find a chest with a sparkling potion. The attached tag declares drinking this liquid will make you immortal. Your body will be frozen at its current age, and these effects would be final and irreversible. The instructions are clear — the only question is, do you drink the potion? Sarah Stroud and Michael Vazquez explore t...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/describing-the-invisible-properties-of-gas-brian-bennett How do you explain the properties of something we can't see? See how scientists use scientific principles, such as gravity, to observe gases. This lesson explores gases and how we have come to know what we know about them. Lesson by Brian Bennett, animation by Cognitive Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Opera singer Denyce Graves-Montgomery shares how to find your voice, range, breath, and, ultimately, your truth. -- "Think Like A Musician" connects you with working musicians who want to help the music-curious and music-passionate hone and share the gift of music with the world. Part interview, part animated course, our first season "Think Like A Performer" features artists sharing their insight on the ins and outs of fine-tuning your instrument and crafting a great performance. Each episode fe...
Download a free audiobook and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed -- Bizarre things happen in dreams: you fly, or conjure an all-you-can-eat buffet out of thin air, or get chased by witches through the halls of your school. But the strange things that happen in dreams don’t seem strange at the time. So, how do you know you’re not in a dream right now? Is there a way to prove that you're awake? Daniel Gregory digs into the philosophical theories of wakefulness. Less...
View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/1207-1-a-bennet-brianh264 How can bottles and balloons help explain the different laws that govern gas? See how Boyle's Law, Charles' Law, and Avogadro's Law help us understand the laws that govern gas properties. Lesson by Brian Bennett, animation by Cognitive Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Explore the science of sinkholes, how they commonly form, and what human activities can also trigger them. -- It was a rainy December morning in San Francisco when the Earth opened up. The ground suddenly fell away into a 12-meter-deep sinkhole that engulfed a garage, part of a street, and a multi-million-dollar mansion. Sinkholes can seem to strike out of nowhere, but they’re more common than people often think. So, how do they form? Elise Cutts details what’s happening just below your feet. Le...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-story-behind-your-glasses-eva-timothy What scientific thinkers and achievements have led to vast improvements in optics over the centuries? Discover the fascinating ways that our understanding of light informs the world in which we live. Lesson by Eva Timothy, animation by Matt Snyman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dig into the Greek myth of Dionysus, the god of winemaking and excess, and his journey to his ancestral home in Thebes. -- Acoetes of Maeonia had been roped into serving as the navigator for a band of pirates. And now the pirates had kidnapped a sleeping youth. As they laid their victim’s body on the ship, Acoetes felt the pit in his stomach deepen. The pirates hadn’t noticed, but their new captive was a slumbering god. Iseult Gillespie digs into the Greek myth of Dionysus and his return to Theb...
View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-twisting-tale-of-dna-judith-hauck What do a man, a mushroom, and an elephant have in common? A very long and simple double helix molecule makes us more similar and much more different than any other living thing. But, how does a simple molecule determine the form and function of so many different living things? Lesson by Judith Hauck, animation by Cameron Slayden. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-happy-secret-to-better-work-shawn-achor We believe that we should work to be happy, but could that be backwards? In this fast-moving and entertaining talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that actually happiness inspires productivity. (Filmed at TEDxBloomington.) Talk by Shawn Achor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-breathing-works-nirvair-kaur We breathe constantly, but have you ever thought about how breathing works? Discover the ins and outs of one of our most basic living functions-- from the science of respiration to how to control your breaths. Lesson by Nirvair Kaur, animation by Santiago Uceda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dig into the Greek myth of Meleager, who set out to end a boar’s destruction of his city along with Greece’s best warriors. -- The night of her son's birth, the queen of Calydon was visited by three shadowy goddesses, known as the Fates. They gestured towards the blazing hearth and decreed that her son would live only until the burning log was reduced to embers. Terrified, the queen locked the log in a chest and guarded the key— but the secret would loom over his life. Iseult Gillespie shares th...
Explore how Salmonella spreads from chickens to humans, and learn how this crafty microscopic pathogen makes us sick. -- Salmonella infects millions worldwide each year, causing fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. And these effects can be extreme: Salmonella is the leading cause of hospitalizations and deaths from food poisoning. So, how does it spread from chickens to humans? And how does it make us sick? Emma Bryce follows the journey of this crafty pathogen from farm to plate. Lesson by Emma...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-carbon-cycle-nathaniel-manning What exactly is the carbon cycle? Nathaniel Manning provides a basic look into the cyclical relationship of carbon, humans and the environment. Lesson by Nathaniel Manning, animation by Jill Johnston. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Learn more at https://brilliant.org/TedEd -- When the Visualphone VP210 hit the market in 1999, it advertised a never-before-seen feature: a camera. With only .11 megapixels, the Visualphone is a relic compared to modern devices. But while this technology has improved dramatically, engineers are rapidly approaching a hard limit on phone camera quality. So, what's limiting them? Rachel Yang shares a snapshot of how digital cameras work. Lesson by Rachel Yang, directed by Vicente Numpaque, Hernand...
View full lesson on ed.ted.com - http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-competitors-open-their-stores-next-to-one-another-jac-de-haan Why are all the gas stations, cafes and restaurants in one crowded spot? As two competitive cousins vie for ice-cream-selling domination on one small beach, discover how game theory and the Nash Equilibrium inform these retail hotspots. Lesson by Jac de Haan, animation by Luke Rowsell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dig into the Chinese myth of Zhu Yingtai, who disguises herself as a boy in order to attend school, and her love Liang Shanbo. -- Although only boys were allowed at the Confucius Academy, what Zhu Yingtai wanted was to go to school. She begged her parents to let her attend dressed as a boy and, seeing her determination and clever disguises, they finally agreed— as long as she kept her identity a secret and later returned to the traditional path they’d set for her. Lijun Zhang shares the Chinese ...
Dig into the science of inhalers, and find out how these devices treat common respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD. -- Inhalers are mainly used to treat two conditions: asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. And there are two main types: preventative inhalers and rescue inhalers. Preventative inhalers can be used every day to control symptoms, while rescue inhalers are great in an emergency. So, how do they work? Anna Rothschild explains the science behind these simple...
View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-power-of-a-great-introduction-carolyn-mohr Never underestimate the power of an intriguing start. When analyzing the literary greats like Charles Dickens and Kurt Vonnegut, be inspired by their craft and learn how to write a tantalizing introduction and strong thesis. Lesson by Carolyn Mohr, animation by Judy Korin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Drummers Tony Succar, Matt Flynn, Matt Tong, and Matt Johnson share what it takes to improve your skills and find your rhythm. -- "Think Like A Musician" connects you with working musicians who want to help the music-curious and music-passionate hone and share the gift of music with the world. Part interview, part animated course, our first season "Think Like A Performer" features artists sharing their insight on the ins and outs of fine-tuning your instrument and crafting a great performance. E...
View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-s-invisible-more-than-you-think-john-lloyd Gravity. The stars in day. Thoughts. The human genome. Time. Atoms. So much of what really matters in the world is impossible to see. A stunning animation of John Lloyd's classic TEDTalk from 2009, which will make you question what you actually know. Lesson by John Lloyd, animation by Cognitive Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-rise-of-human-computer-cooperation-shyam-sankar Brute computing force alone can't solve the world's problems. Data mining innovator Shyam Sankar explains why solving big problems (like catching terrorists or identifying huge hidden trends) is not a question of finding the right algorithm, but rather the right symbiotic relationship between computation and human creativity. Talk by Shyam Sankar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
Follow the nighttime routine of a vampire bat as it hunts for prey, and find out how these unique creatures work together to survive. -- Vampire bats are the only mammals to subsist on blood alone. Their ancient ancestors might have eaten parasites and insects off larger animals until vampire bats began feeding directly from those animals themselves. So, how do these nocturnal creatures find their sustenance? And what animals do they most commonly target? Imran Razik follows the nighttime routin...
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/making-sense-of-spelling-gina-cooke What can spelling tell us about relationships between words? While spelling may sometimes seem random or unexpected, this lesson illuminates how peeling back the layers of spelling helps us understand the complex history and meaningful structure of words. Lesson by Gina Cooke, animation by The Leading Sheep ( http://www.theleadingsheep.com). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
