View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-is-verbal-irony-christopher-warner At face value, the lines between verbal irony, sarcasm, and compliments can be blurry. After all, the phrase 'That looks nice' could be all three depending on the circumstances. In the final of a three part series on irony, Christopher Warner gets into the irony you may use most often and most casually: verbal irony. Lesson by Christopher Warner, animation by Ben Pearce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...
Mar 14, 2026•5 min
Dig into how scholars decoded the writing on the Rosetta Stone, and how this helped them understand ancient hieroglyphs. -- For centuries, scholars puzzled over the hieroglyphs they found carved onto ancient Egyptian ruins, tablets, and papyri. But in 1799, a unique discovery would finally help unlock their meaning. It was a stone inscribed with three different texts: Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Demotic Egyptian, and Ancient Greek. Franziska Naether shares how scholars decoded the ancient message of t...
Mar 14, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-mendel-s-pea-plants-helped-us-understand-genetics-hortensia-jimenez-diaz Each father and mother pass down traits to their children, who inherit combinations of their dominant or recessive alleles. But how do we know so much about genetics today? Hortensia Jiménez Díaz explains how studying pea plants revealed why you may have blue eyes. Lesson by Hortensia Jiménez Díaz, animation by Cinematic Sweden. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...
Mar 14, 2026•5 min
Take a look at the science of how addictive drugs affect your body and why substance addiction can be so difficult to treat. -- As of 2021, more than 36 million people were estimated to be experiencing substance use disorder. This condition spans a spectrum of patterned drug use that causes issues in a person’s life, with substance addiction at the more severe end. Why are some people more susceptible to addiction, and why can it be so difficult to treat? Judy Grisel takes a look at how addictiv...
Mar 14, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/working-backward-to-solve-problems-maurice-ashley Imagine where you want to be someday. Now, how did you get there? Retrograde analysis is a style of problem solving where you work backwards from the endgame you want. It can help you win at chess -- or solve a problem in real life. At TEDYouth 2012, chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley delves into his favorite strategy. Talk by Maurice Ashley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 13, 2026•9 min
Uncover the history of the ancient underground cities beneath Cappadocia, which were built during the Byzantine Empire. -- The breathtaking geological formations of Cappadocia are one of the most astonishing landscapes on Earth. Also known as “fairy chimneys,” this impressive terrain hides an equally remarkable feat of pre-modern engineering: a network of extensive underground cities stretching deep below the surface. Who inhabited these cities, and why? Veronica Kalas uncovers the secrets of th...
Mar 13, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-state-budgets-are-breaking-us-schools-bill-gates America's school systems are funded by the 50 states. In this fiery talk, Bill Gates says that state budgets are riddled with accounting tricks that disguise the true cost of health care and pensions and weighted with worsening deficits -- with the financing of education at the losing end. Talk by Bill Gates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 13, 2026•15 min
Dig into the Greek myth of Mestra and her father King Erysichthon, who angered the gods and was cursed with insatiable hunger. -- Mestra, princess of Thessaly, was far from home. She had watched her father, King Erysichthon, plunge into a ruin of his own making. Now, to save himself, he’d sold his own daughter to the highest bidder. But Mestra refused to accept this fate and began to plan her escape. Iseult Gillespie shares the Greek myth of Mestra's bid for freedom. Lesson by Iseult Gillespie, ...
Mar 13, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/fractals-and-the-art-of-roughness-benoit-mandelbrot At TED2010, mathematics legend Benoit Mandelbrot develops a theme he first discussed at TED in 1984 -- the extreme complexity of roughness and the way that fractal math can find order within patterns that seem unknowably complicated. Talk by Benoit Mandelbrot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 13, 2026•23 min
What could our future world look like if we continue to do nothing about climate change? Take a look at the possibilities. -- While we’re already feeling the devastating effects of human-caused climate change, governments continue to fall short on making and executing emissions pledges that would help thwart further warming. So, what will our world look like in the next 30 to 80 years, if we continue on the current path? Shannon Odell offers a glimpse at Earth's possible future. Lesson by Shanno...
Mar 13, 2026•7 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-3d-atlas-of-the-universe-carter-emmart For the last 12 years, Carter Emmart has been coordinating the efforts of scientists, artists and programmers to build a complete 3D visualization of our known universe. He demos this stunning tour and explains how it's being shared with facilities around the world. Talk by Carter Emmart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 12, 2026•10 min
Explore why earwax forms, its purpose in our health, and whether or not we should be trying to get rid of it. -- Grooming paraphernalia has been found in numerous archeological sites, many of which have included earwax removal tools. And earwax evacuation remains a popular hygienic habit today. But what is earwax? And are the efforts to eliminate it actually good for us? Henry C. Ou explores the important role earwax plays in our health. Lesson by Henry C. Ou, directed by Yuriy Polyashko, Max Za...
Mar 12, 2026•9 min
Margaret Gould Stewart, YouTube's head of user experience, talks about how the ubiquitous video site works with copyright holders and creators to foster (at the best of times) a creative ecosystem where everybody wins. Talk by Margaret Gould Stewart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 12, 2026•9 min
Explore Edvard Munch’s masterpiece “The Scream,” and find out why this artwork became one of the world’s most famous paintings. -- An undulating sky melds into the landscape, two silhouettes move along a balustraded walkway, and a ghostly figure’s features extend in agony. Since Norwegian artist Edvard Munch created "The Scream" in 1893, it’s become one of the world’s most famous artworks. But why has its cry traveled so far and endured so long? Noah Charney shares the inspiration behind the dra...
Mar 12, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-pattern-behind-self-deception-michael-shermer Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things -- from alien abductions to dowsing rods -- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are and how they get us into trouble. Talk by Michael Shermer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 12, 2026•25 min
Dig into one of Japan’s most infamous stories about the 47 samurai who take revenge for the loss of their leader. -- Asano Naganori, lord of Akō domain, fixed his gaze on Kira Yoshinaka, a senior master of ceremony. Asano extended his short sword, charged through the castle, and struck Kira. While the wound wasn’t fatal, its consequences would be. What brought about this violent quarrel? And what would come of Asano and his samurai? Adam Clulow shares the legend of the 47 Rōnin and their quest f...
Mar 12, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-architecture-helped-music-evolve-david-byrne As his career grew, David Byrne went from playing CBGB to Carnegie Hall. He asks: Does the venue make the music? From outdoor drumming to Wagnerian operas to arena rock, he explores how context has pushed musical innovation. Talk by David Byrne. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 11, 2026•21 min
Explore common types of corruption and find out what we can do to combat it and promote transparency in our institutions. -- Corruption is often defined as misuse of a position of power for personal gain. And while corruption in politics is nothing new, it isn’t limited to the political sphere; it can happen in schools, sports, businesses, or religious institutions. So, what exactly is corruption, and what can we do to combat it? Stephanie Honchell Smith explores the importance of transparency i...
Mar 11, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/hiv-and-flu-the-vaccine-strategy-seth-berkley Seth Berkley explains how smart advances in vaccine design, production and distribution are bringing us closer than ever to eliminating a host of global threats -- from AIDS to malaria to flu pandemics. Talk by Seth Berkley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 11, 2026•28 min
Dig into Operation Paperclip, a secret intelligence program which brought scientists from Nazi Germany to the US after WWII. -- In May of 1945 the Third Reich was in chaos. Adolf Hitler was dead and German surrender was imminent. But while World War II was almost over, a new war was brewing. And the US was eager to recruit the smartest minds in Germany before the Soviets got the chance— regardless of their affiliation with the Nazis. This became known as Operation Paperclip. Brian Crim digs into...
Mar 11, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-difference-between-classical-and-operant-conditioning-peggy-andover Why is it that humans react to stimuli with certain behaviors? Can behaviors change in response to consequences? Peggy Andover explains how the brain can associate unrelated stimuli and responses, proved by Ivan Pavlov's famous 1890 experiments, and how reinforcement and punishment can result in changed behavior. Lesson by Peggy Andover, animation by Alan Foreman. Learn more about ...
Mar 11, 2026•6 min
Dig into political philosopher John Rawls’ classic thought experiment about what principles we need to design a fair society. -- A group of strangers have gathered to design a just society. To ensure none of them rig the system, they’ve been placed under a veil of ignorance. Under this veil, they’re blind to information about age, sex, profession, wealth, religion, and so on. Can they build a fair society where everyone has the resources they need? Joseph Lacey details John Rawls' classic though...
Mar 11, 2026•9 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-importance-of-focus-richard-st-john How might focus help you succeed? Using examples of famous people from disparate fields, such as James Cameron, Quincy Jones, and Larry Page, Richard St. John suggests why focus is one of eight traits common in successful people. Lesson by Richard St. John. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 10, 2026•9 min
Practice more problem-solving at https://brilliant.org/teded -- A mathematician with a knife and ball begins slicing and distributing the ball into an infinite number of boxes. She then recombines the parts into five precise sections. Moving and rotating these sections around, she recombines them to form two identical, flawless, and complete copies of the original ball. How is this possible? Jacqueline Doan and Alex Kazachek explore the Banach-Tarski paradox. Lesson by Jacqueline Doan and Alex K...
Mar 10, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/visualizing-hidden-worlds-inside-your-body-dee-breger How do we see things too small to be detected by the human eye? What about things inside our own bodies? At TEDYouth 2012, Dee Breger uses a scanning electron microscope to give us a glimpse of images including blood clots, thyroid glands, and lungs with pneumonia. Talk by Dee Breger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 10, 2026•9 min
Trace the rise and fall of the Maya city Chichen Itza, and how Yucatán’s unpredictable environment contributed to its demise. -- During the 8th century CE, warfare and failing agriculture forced Maya people to move north, to hotter, drier Yucatán. Because of its freshwater access, Chichen Itza became the most powerful Maya city, with nearly 50,000 citizens at its height. But the region presented its own challenges and the city's golden age wouldn’t last forever. Geoffrey E. Braswell traces the c...
Mar 10, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-simple-but-fascinating-story-of-photosynthesis-and-food-amanda-ooten Photosynthesis is an essential part of the exchange between humans and plants. Amanda Ooten walks us through the process of photosynthesis, also discussing the relationship between photosynthesis and carbohydrates, starch, and fiber -- and how the air we breathe is related to the food we ingest. Lesson by Amanda Ooten, animation by Bouncepad Collective. Learn more about your ad ch...
Mar 10, 2026•6 min
Explore the science behind how gas masks work, and how the technology protects us from airborne threats and pollutants. -- You might think of gas masks as clunky military-looking devices. But in the near future, we may need to rely on these filters as part of our everyday lives. In addition to emerging diseases, wildfire frequency has more than tripled, and climate change has increased toxic ground level ozone. So how do these masks work, and can they protect us from airborne threats? George Zai...
Mar 10, 2026•6 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-organize-add-and-multiply-matrices-bill-shillito When you're working on a problem with lots of numbers, as in economics, cryptography or 3D graphics, it helps to organize those numbers into a grid, or matrix. Bill Shillito shows us how to work with matrices, with tips for adding, subtracting and multiplying (but not dividing!). Lesson by Bill Shillito, animation by The Leading Sheep Studios. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
Mar 09, 2026•6 min
Dig into the benefits of practicing gratitude in your everyday life, and discover how being thankful can impact your happiness. -- Many people would say the connection between happiness and gratefulness is very simple: when you are happy, you are grateful. But think again. Is it really the happy people that are grateful? Quite a number of people have everything that it would take to be happy, and they are not happy. So, how does gratefulness work? Explore the key components to living gratefully....
Mar 09, 2026•9 min
