View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/fresh-water-scarcity-an-introduction-to-the-problem-christiana-z-peppard Fresh water is essential for life -- and there's not nearly enough of it for the world right now. Why is that, and what could we do? Christiana Z. Peppard lays out the big questions of our global water problem. And no, shorter showers are not the answer. Lesson by Christiana Z. Peppard, animation by Jeremy Collins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 27, 2026•5 min
Explore the famous depictions of the tale of Laocoön, who the gods punished for warning the Trojans about the Greeks' wooden horse. -- Laocoön, a seer and priest, was deeply suspicious of the enormous wooden horse that the Greeks left in Troy and cautioned the Trojans not to accept this strange offering. But their fate was already sealed — the gods granted the Greeks victory and punished the priest for threatening their success. Noah Charney explores how Laocoön’s tragic tale inspired countless ...
Feb 27, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/inside-okcupid-the-math-of-online-dating-christian-rudder When two people join a dating website, they are matched according to shared interests and how they answer a number of personal questions. But how do sites calculate the likelihood of a successful relationship? Christian Rudder, one of the founders of popular dating site OKCupid, details the algorithm behind 'hitting it off.' Lesson by Christian Rudder, animation by TED-Ed. Learn more about your ...
Feb 27, 2026•10 min
Get to know the Dagara tale of Yagangnaa, a boy who defied a tyrannical chief, and witness their ensuing battle of wits. -- Shock seized the West African Dagara village as word travelled of a new decree. Completely disregarding time-honored naming rituals, the tyrannical chief declared that he alone would name the village’s children. But soon an unlikely challenger appeared: Yagangnaa, the boy who named himself. Paschal Kyiiripuo Kyoore shares the tale of the defiant boy and his battle of wits w...
Feb 27, 2026•6 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/where-we-get-our-fresh-water-christiana-z-peppard Fresh water accounts for only 2.5% of Earth's water, yet it is vital for human civilization. What are our sources of fresh water? In the first of a two part series on fresh water, Christiana Z. Peppard breaks the numbers down and discusses who is using it and to what ends. Lesson by Christiana Z. Peppard, animation by Jeremy Collins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 26, 2026•6 min
Download a free audiobook version of “Red Rising” and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed -- Imagine a scientist who has teleported to space. His spacesuit’s pressurized air protects his bodily fluids from vaporization, its oxygen tank keeps him breathing, and the insulation prevents him from freezing. But although these features thwart an immediate tragedy, space is still an incredibly dangerous place. So, what does a prolonged stay in space do to the human body? ...
Feb 26, 2026•7 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-curiosity-got-us-to-mars-bobak-ferdowsi In August 2012, the Curiosity rover landed on Mars. The landing itself was a huge achievement and required a lot of forethought and planning by a very smart team. In this TED Youth 2012 Talk, Bobak Ferdowsi, the mohawked member of that team, outlines various aspects of a Mars landing, including the Seven Minutes of Terror. Talk by Bobak Ferdowsi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 26, 2026•9 min
Dig into the scientific theories of why zebras have stripes, and why this unique patterning sets them apart from their equine relatives. -- Zebras belong to the same equine family as horses and donkeys. After their lineage entered Africa, they evolved into three zebra species, lived in social herds, grazed on grasses, and evaded fierce predators. One mystery that has perplexed prominent scientists for decades is the matter of their coats: why are they striped? Cella Wright digs into the common t...
Feb 26, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/admin/lessons Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works -- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids. Talk by Temple Grandin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 26, 2026•25 min
Explore what we know about the function of the appendix, what leads to appendicitis, and why the organ is so prone to bursting. -- In 1961, an Antarctic expedition took a harrowing turn: Dr. Leonid Rogozov began feeling feverish, with an excruciating pain in his right side. It soon became clear that he had appendicitis. While Rogozov’s predicament was extreme, appendicitis is not uncommon; affecting roughly one in 12 people. So, what causes appendicitis? And why is this organ so prone to burstin...
Feb 26, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-bacteria-talk-bonnie-bassler Bonnie Bassler discovered that bacteria "talk" to each other, using a chemical language that lets them coordinate defense and mount attacks. The find has stunning implications for medicine, industry -- and our understanding of ourselves. Talk by Bonnie Bassler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 25, 2026•24 min
Explore the incredible regenerative capacity of salamanders, and see how they’re able to regrow limbs, hearts, and even brain tissue. -- For some animals, losing a limb is a decidedly permanent affair. But for salamanders, particularly axolotls, amputation is just a temporary affliction. Not only can they grow back entire limbs in as little as six weeks, they can also regenerate heart and even brain tissue. So, how does this astonishing adaptation work? Jessica Whited explores the incredible reg...
Feb 25, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/four-principles-for-the-open-world-don-tapscott The recent generations have been bathed in connecting technology from birth, says futurist Don Tapscott, and as a result the world is transforming into one that is far more open and transparent. In this inspiring talk, he lists the four core principles that show how this open world can be a far better place. Talk by Don Tapscott. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 25, 2026•24 min
Dig into the dangers of common kitchen appliances, and find out which could be the most hazardous to your health. -- Between 2011 and 2022, the deadliest kitchen appliances in the US were ovens and ranges; taking lives by causing fires and leaking carbon monoxide. These kinds of sudden, catastrophic fatalities are thankfully rare. But the kitchen dangers that cause the most casualties may actually be less immediate, and more gradual. George Zaidan explores the safety of common kitchen appliances...
Feb 25, 2026•7 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-audacity-behind-the-louisiana-purchase-judy-walton When the French offered up the Louisiana Territory, Thomas Jefferson knew this real estate deal was too good to pass up. How did the President justify the purchase that doubled the size of the United States? Judy Walton provides President Jefferson's reasoning. Lesson by Judy Walton, animation by Sumit Seru, Rohit Tandon and Kevin Jaako. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...
Feb 25, 2026•5 min
Explore the 4 common categories of cold medicines, and how to choose the right one based on your symptoms. -- From incantations in ancient Egypt, bloodletting in 18th century Europe, to President Coolidge inhaling poisonous chlorine gas in 1924, the common cold has inspired a variety of creative treatments. Today pharmacies are filled with an endless assortment of cold remedies. But how do these products work? And are they effective? Explore the most common categories of cold medicines and their...
Feb 25, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/make-robots-smarter-ayanna-howard There are three major rules that we want our robots to follow: do not harm a human, obey us, and protect us. The prerequisite for these rules? We need to make robots smarter. Ayanna Howard explains how robots can become smarter (hint: it is related to how smart we humans are). Talk by Ayanna Howard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 24, 2026•9 min
Explore the ever-evolving structure of the Milky Way galaxy, and find out how it got its spiral shape. -- Thirteen billion years ago, the gas and dust particles that eventually became our Milky Way were whizzing around in every direction. Despite the wild motion of its parts, the galaxy as a whole was rotating about an axis. So why did the Milky Way, like most galaxies, become flat, and not spherical like stars and planets? Scott Hershberger explores the ever-evolving structure of our galaxy. Le...
Feb 24, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-did-trains-standardize-time-in-the-united-states-william-heuisler If you live in the United States, you may live in the Eastern Standard Time Zone. Or maybe you live in Mountain Standard Time or one of the other standardized time zones. But these time zones have not always been around. In fact, it's a fairly recent development. William Heuisler explains the history of time and how trains changed everything. Lesson by William Heuisler, animation by ...
Feb 24, 2026•5 min
Download a free audiobook version of “City of Girls” and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed -- Do you ever feel tired? Overwhelmed? Depressed? Do you have headaches, dizziness, cramps, difficulty breathing? From 300 BCE to the 1900s, if you answered yes to any of these questions and you had a uterus, a doctor would likely diagnose you with hysteria. So, where did this medical diagnosis come from? And why did it persist for so long? Mark S. Micale traces the histor...
Feb 24, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-polarity-makes-water-behave-strangely-christina-kleinberg Water is both essential and unique. Many of its particular qualities stem from the fact that it consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen, therefore creating an unequal sharing of electrons. From fish in frozen lakes to ice floating on water, Christina Kleinberg describes the effects of polarity. Lesson by Christina Kleinberg, animation by Alan Foreman. Learn more about your ad choices. ...
Feb 24, 2026•6 min
Dive into the deep sea to find giant squids, and explore what scientists have learned about these mysterious creatures. -- In 1873, fishermen glimpsed what they thought was a shipwreck. But when they probed the mass, it moved— and huge, serpentine appendages soon besieged their boat. One fisherman took an axe to the animal, and it disappeared in a cloud of ink, leaving behind definitive evidence that giant squids were more than mythical monsters. So, what do we know about these creatures? Anna R...
Feb 24, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/our-buggy-moral-code-dan-ariely Behavioral economist Dan Ariely studies the bugs in our moral code: the hidden reasons we think it's OK to cheat or steal (sometimes). Clever studies help make his point that we're predictably irrational -- and can be influenced in ways we can't grasp. Talk by Dan Ariely Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 23, 2026•22 min
Learn more at https://brilliant.org/TedEd -- Your granddaughter created a surprise for your birthday: a holographic map displaying everywhere you’ve traveled— not just on Earth, but through the universe. Considering you’re living on a spinning rock hurtling around a sun whizzing through a galaxy, you’ve made some real progress. But, how much, exactly? Fabio Pacucci and Lindsay DeMarchi explore how far you travel over the course of your life. Lesson by Fabio Pacucci and Lindsay DeMarchi, directed...
Feb 23, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/our-loss-of-wisdom-barry-schwartz Barry Schwartz makes a passionate call for "practical wisdom" as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy. He argues powerfully that rules often fail us, incentives often backfire, and practical, everyday wisdom will help rebuild our world. Talk by Barry Schwartz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 23, 2026•28 min
Travel to some of the most extreme environments on Earth and see how insects are able to employ their skills to survive. -- Insects are the world’s most numerous and diverse animals. Even where you’d least expect them in some of Earth’s most extreme environments, there they are. From a scalding volcano, parched desert, to a frigid glacier, insects are living life on the edge. So, how do they do it? Charles Wallace illuminates the incredible survival skills of insects living in some of Earth's ha...
Feb 23, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/earth-s-mass-extinction-peter-ward Asteroid strikes get all the coverage, but "Medea Hypothesis" author Peter Ward argues that most of Earth's mass extinctions were caused by lowly bacteria. The culprit, a poison called hydrogen sulfide, may have an interesting application in medicine. Talk by Peter Ward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 23, 2026•25 min
Dig into the Greek myth of Achilles, and follow the infamous warrior during the Trojan War and see what leads to his downfall. -- Born to a sea nymph and a king, and trained by the legendary centaur Chiron, Achilles was a demigod destined for greatness. When Greece declared war on Troy, Achilles knew the war was written into his destiny. With horses born from the west wind and a spear wrought from a mountain peak, he readied himself for battle. Iseult Gillespie tells the tale of the infamous war...
Feb 23, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-if-we-could-look-inside-human-brains-moran-cerf The brain is what makes us function, yet we understand so little about how it works. We are learning more about the brain by using new technology to monitor epilepsy patients during surgery. Moran Cerf explains the process doctors use to explore the brain further. Lesson by Moran Cerf, animation by Buzzco Associates, inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 22, 2026•6 min
Explore the toxicity of death cap mushrooms, and find out what makes this one species so dangerous to humans. -- Humans have known about the toxicity of death cap mushrooms for millennia. Yet they continue to pose a significant threat to unsuspecting foragers and mushroom hunters throughout the world. Today, death caps are responsible for more than 90% of all mushroom related deaths, killing upwards of 100 people each year. So, what makes this one species of mushroom so dangerous? Michael Beug i...
Feb 22, 2026•8 min
