View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/write-your-story-change-history-brad-meltzer The idea that youth is wasted on the young? Wrong. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the creators of Superman were all under 30 when they wrote themselves into history. In this inspirational TEDYouth 2011 Talk, Brad Meltzer encourages us to dream big, work hard, and stay humble. Talk by Brad Meltzer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 17, 2026•12 min
Dig into what causes your stress response to be triggered, and how you can best train your mind and body to deal with stress. -- An upcoming project deadline, a fight with a family member, or even an embarrassing moment can easily trigger our body’s stress response. While we can’t always control what life throws at us, there are ways to better prepare for stressful events we may experience. So, how can we train our minds and bodies to manage our stress response? Shannon Odell shares best practic...
Feb 17, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/can-we-domesticate-germs-paul-ewald Evolutionary biologist Paul Ewald drags us into the sewer to discuss germs. Why are some more harmful than others? How could we make the harmful ones benign? Searching for answers, he examines a disgusting, fascinating case: diarrhea. Talk by Paul Ewald. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 17, 2026•24 min
Dig into the Chinese myth of Lady Meng Jiang, and how her grief over the death of her husband brought down the Great Wall. -- Long ago, an emperor decided to build a great wall to protect his new empire and ensure his power. He ordered men across China to leave their homes and submit to the grueling labor required for its construction. As years passed and the wall grew, few returned home. But one worker’s death spelled trouble for the wall. Juwen Zhang shares the myth of the heartbroken Lady Men...
Feb 17, 2026•7 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-defeat-a-dragon-with-math-garth-sundem Having trouble remembering the order of operations? Let's raise the stakes a little bit. What if the future of your (theoretical) kingdom depended on it? Garth Sundem creates a world in which PEMDAS is the hero but only heroic when in the proper order. Lesson by Garth Sundem, animation by Mark Phillips. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 16, 2026•6 min
Dig into the animal kingdom’s capacity for generosity, and find out how cooperation between animals may contribute to their survival. -- Charles Darwin introduced the notion of “survival of the fittest,” where the fittest animals are those who can survive long enough to produce healthy offspring. The fittest animal can also be the most stealthy, resourceful, or even the most cooperative. So what exactly does cooperation look like in the wild? Ashley Ward digs into the animal kingdom's capacity f...
Feb 16, 2026•6 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/questioning-the-universe-stephen-hawking In keeping with the theme of TED2008, professor Stephen Hawking asks some Big Questions about our universe -- How did the universe begin? How did life begin? Are we alone? -- and discusses how we might go about answering them. Talk by Stephen Hawking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 16, 2026•14 min
Explore how to build healthy habits when it comes to making, growing, and maintaining friendships. -- Friendships can change how we see and move through the world. They can boost our academic performance, help us deal with setbacks, and even improve our health. And the relationships we form in adolescence can shape our beliefs, values, and emotional growth. But making and maintaining friends isn’t always easy. Iseult Gillespie shares how to build healthy friendship habits. Lesson by Iseult Gille...
Feb 16, 2026•7 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-aristotle-and-joshua-bell-can-teach-us-about-persuasion-conor-neill Imagine you are one of the world's greatest violin players, and you decide to conduct an experiment: play inside a subway station and see if anyone stops to appreciate when you are stripped of a concert hall and name recognition. Joshua Bell did this, and Conor Neill channels Aristotle to understand why the context mattered. Lesson by Conor Neill, animation by Animationhaus. Learn...
Feb 16, 2026•6 min
Discover the benefits of walking, and how this simple exercise can positively impact the health of your body and brain. -- For years, Jean Béliveau walked from country to country, with the goal of circumnavigating the globe on foot. While few people have the time or desire to walk such extreme lengths, research shows that adding even a modest amount of walking to your daily routine can dramatically improve your health. So, what exactly happens to your body when you increase your step count? Shan...
Feb 16, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-find-the-true-face-of-leonardo-siegfried-woldhek Mona Lisa is one of the best-known faces on the planet. But would you recognize an image of Leonardo da Vinci? Illustrator Siegfried Woldhek uses some thoughtful image-analysis techniques to find what he believes is the true face of Leonardo. Talk by Siegfried Woldhek. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 15, 2026•6 min
Follow Chu Hong, a Chinese martial artist in training, as he practices his skills and competes in an archery tournament. -- The year is 1030 CE. Chu Hong's best friend, Liang Gao, tells him that the local magistrate has been spotted holding a surprise archery competition in a nearby town and will arrive at their village soon. This is Hong’s chance to showcase his talents in martial arts— and secure some much-needed money for his family. Peter Lorge outlines a day in the life of a Chinese martial...
Feb 15, 2026•6 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-plant-s-eye-view-michael-pollan What if human consciousness isn't the end-all be-all of Darwinism? What if we are all just pawns in corn's clever strategy game to rule the Earth? Author Michael Pollan asks us to see the world from a plant's-eye view. Talk by Michael Pollan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 15, 2026•23 min
Dig into the history of arsenic dating back to ancient civilizations, and find out why this element is known as the king of poisons. -- No substance has been as constant an ally to insidious scheming as arsenic, the so-called “king of poisons.” In its chemically pure form, it isn’t much of a threat because our bodies don’t absorb it well; it’s when arsenic combines with other elements that things get dangerous. So, how did this substance become such a popular poison? Neil Bradbury digs into the ...
Feb 15, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/underwater-astonishments-david-gallo David Gallo shows jaw-dropping footage of amazing sea creatures, including a color-shifting cuttlefish, a perfectly camouflaged octopus, and a Times Square's worth of neon light displays from fish who live in the blackest depths of the ocean. Talk by David Gallo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 15, 2026•8 min
Uncover the history of the lobotomy, and find out why it's considered one of the most controversial procedures of the 20th century. -- In 1935, researchers found that after removing the frontal lobes of two chimps, they no longer experienced frustration or anxiety. Neurologist Egas Moniz believed that replicating this in humans could cure mental illness— leading to one of the most controversial and destructive medical treatments of the 20th century: the lobotomy. Jenell Johnson uncovers the hist...
Feb 15, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/phenology-and-nature-s-shifting-rhythms-regina-brinker With rapidly rising global temperatures come seasonal changes. As spring comes earlier for some plant species, there are ripple effects throughout the food web. Regina Brinker explains how phenology, or the natural cycles of plants and animals, can be affected by these changes. Lesson by Regina Brinker, animation by The Leading Sheep Studios. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...
Feb 14, 2026•5 min
Trace the history of rats, from their emergence in Asia to how they became the most successful invasive species in the world. -- Today, rats are often regarded as the most successful invasive species in the world. The most common species of rat scurried onto the scene roughly 1 to 3 million years ago in Asia. There, they craftily survived Earth’s most recent ice age, and eventually, began living around and with humans— though often at the mercy of human priorities. Max G. Levy traces the entangl...
Feb 14, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/activation-energy-kickstarting-chemical-reactions-vance-kite Chemical reactions are constantly happening in your body -- even at this very moment. But what catalyzes these important reactions? Vance Kite explains how enzymes assist the process, while providing a light-hearted way to remember how activation energy works. Lesson by Vance Kite, animation by Ledfish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 14, 2026•5 min
Travel into the digestive system to learn about cholesterol, and find out what the difference is between LDL and HDL cholesterol. -- In 1968, the American Heart Association made an announcement that would influence people’s diets for decades: they recommended that people avoid eating more than three eggs a week. Their reasoning was that the cholesterol packed into egg yolks could increase cardiovascular disease risk. So, what exactly is cholesterol? And is it actually bad for you? Hei Man Chan d...
Feb 14, 2026•10 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-we-see-color-colm-kelleher There are three types of color receptors in your eye: red, green and blue. But how do we see the amazing kaleidoscope of other colors that make up our world? Colm Kelleher explains how humans can see everything from auburn to aquamarine. Talk by Colm Kelleher, animation by TED-Ed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 14, 2026•5 min
Dig into Moore’s Law and explore its 4 main limitations and how they could change how we are able to make progress in computing. -- Moore’s Law states that every 1 to 2 years the number of transistors that can fit on a given size computer chip will double. Thanks to this law, chips have gotten smaller, faster, more efficient, and cheaper. But today, there are four key problems that trip up this trend, potentially ending Moore’s Law and fundamentally changing how computing progresses. Sajan Saini...
Feb 14, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/you-are-your-microbes-jessica-green-and-karen-guillemin From the microbes in our stomachs to the ones on our teeth, we are homes to millions of unique and diverse communities which help our bodies function. Jessica Green and Karen Guillemin emphasize the importance of understanding the many organisms that make up each and every organism. Lesson by Jessica Green and Karen Guillemin, animation by nenatv. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....
Feb 13, 2026•6 min
Explore the relationship between the Amazon rainforest and the rest of the planet, and what would happen if it disappeared. -- As of 2022, humans have deforested 17% of the Amazon, and scientists warn that we may be approaching a tipping point. It’s like removing bricks from a house: take a few and the house remains standing; remove too many and the whole thing will collapse. So, what would happen if the entire Amazon disappeared? Anna Rothschild explores the relationship between this ecosystem ...
Feb 13, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/tales-of-passion-isabel-allende Author and activist Isabel Allende discusses women, creativity, the definition of feminism, and, of course, passion in this Talk. Talk by Isabel Allende. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 13, 2026•24 min
On Ada’s first day of her new job at the library, she imagines a post-apocalyptic future. Are we equipped to survive in such a world? -- This is episode 1 of the animated series, “Ada.” This 5-episode narrative follows the young library assistant Ada as she juggles two worlds: her daily mundane reality and the future she vividly imagines for all humanity. Traveling through her visions of potential futures, Ada grapples with the ethical and social implications of new technologies and how they cou...
Feb 13, 2026•15 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/on-exploring-the-oceans-robert-ballard Ocean explorer Robert Ballard takes us on a mindbending trip to hidden worlds underwater, where he and other researchers are finding unexpected life, resources, and even new mountains. He makes a case for serious exploration and mapping. Google Ocean, anyone? Talk by Robert Ballard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 13, 2026•24 min
Dig into the psychology of how to overcome your motivational obstacles and regain focus when you feel stuck in achieving your goals. -- Many of us have experienced feeling stuck. People often report feeling highly motivated at the start and end of a project, but the middle can feel untethered. It can happen when tackling something as simple as a term paper or as monumental as social inequality or the climate crisis. So, are there ways to get unstuck? Shannon Odell digs into the psychology of ove...
Feb 13, 2026•7 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/detention-or-eco-club-choosing-your-future-juan-martinez Growing up surrounded by gangs in South Central Los Angeles, Juan Martinez wasn't exposed to the great outdoors. One day in high school, he was given the life-changing choice between detention or Eco Club. He chose nature and has since devoted his life to getting kids back to the outdoors as a National Geographic Explorer and director of the Natural Leaders Network. Talk by Juan Martinez. Learn m...
Feb 12, 2026•9 min
Ada imagines how society would change if governments paid living organ donors. Should we receive compensation for our organs? -- This is episode 2 of the animated series, “Ada.” This 5-episode narrative follows the young library assistant Ada as she juggles two worlds: her daily mundane reality and the future she vividly imagines for all humanity. Traveling through her visions of potential futures, Ada grapples with the ethical and social implications of new technologies and how they could shape...
Feb 12, 2026•15 min
