View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/making-a-car-for-blind-drivers-dennis-hong Using robotics, laser rangefinders, GPS and smart feedback tools, Dennis Hong is building a car for drivers who are blind. It's not a "self-driving" car, he's careful to note, but a car in which a non-sighted driver can determine speed, proximity and route -- and drive independently. Talk by Dennis Hong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 24, 2026•13 min
Explore how the US government hunted bison to near-extinction in the 1800s to force Native Americans onto reservations. -- By the mid-1700s, many Plains nations survived on North America’s largest land mammals: bison. They ate its meat, made the hides into winter coats and blankets, and used the bones and horns for tools. But in the following decades, millions of bison would be deliberately slaughtered, threatening the survival of Plains societies. Andrew C. Isenberg shares what led to the anima...
Mar 24, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-we-ll-stop-polio-for-good-bruce-aylward Polio is almost completely eradicated. But as Bruce Aylward says: Almost isn't good enough with a disease this terrifying. Aylward lays out the plan to continue the scientific miracle that ended polio in most of the world -- and to snuff it out everywhere, forever. Talk by Bruce Aylward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 24, 2026•30 min
Explore the history of humanity’s deadliest diseases, and find out how our progress and innovation exposed us to new pathogens. -- Since humanity’s earliest days, we’ve been plagued by countless disease-causing pathogens. Invisible and persistent, these microorganisms and the illnesses they incur have killed more humans than anything else in history. But which disease has been the deadliest? Dan Kwartler digs into how human progress and innovation throughout history exposed us to surprising new ...
Mar 24, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-weird-wonderful-world-of-bioluminescence-edith-widder In the deep, dark ocean, many sea creatures make their own light for hunting, mating and self-defense. Bioluminescence expert Edith Widder was one of the first to film this glimmering world. At TED2011, she brings some of her glowing friends onstage, and shows more astonishing footage of glowing undersea life. Talk by Edith Widder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 23, 2026•17 min
Explore the psychology of decision fatigue, what kinds of choices lead us to this state and what we can do to fight it. -- Everything our bodies do— whether physical or mental— uses energy. Studies have found that many individuals seem to have a daily threshold for making decisions, and an extended period of decision-making can lead to cognitive exhaustion. So, what kinds of choices lead us to this state, and what can we do to fight fatigue? Explore the psychology of decision fatigue and ways yo...
Mar 23, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/want-to-be-happier-stay-in-the-moment-matt-killingsworth When are humans most happy? To gather data on this question, Matt Killingsworth built an app, Track Your Happiness, that let people report their feelings in real time. Among the surprising results: We're often happiest when we're lost in the moment. And the flip side: The more our mind wanders, the less happy we can be. (Filmed at TEDxCambridge.) Talk by Matt Killingsworth. Learn more about your ...
Mar 23, 2026•14 min
Explore how Dutch and British colonization of South Africa led to Apartheid, the strict national policy of racial segregation. -- For 46 years, South Africans lived under Apartheid, a strict policy of segregation that barred the country’s Black majority from skilled, high-paying jobs, quality education, voting, and much more. So, how did these laws come to be? And how did this era of institutionalized discrimination finally come to an end? Thula Simpson explores how colonization led to the natio...
Mar 23, 2026•10 min
How do fast-paced video games affect the brain? Step into the lab with cognitive researcher Daphne Bavelier to hear surprising news about how video games, even action-packed shooter games, can help us learn, focus and, fascinatingly, multitask. (Filmed at TEDxCHUV.) Talk by Daphne Bavelier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 23, 2026•24 min
Do you have a right to a healthy planet? Dig into the movement to hold governments accountable for climate change inaction. -- Since 2015, an unprecedented movement has been sweeping courts around the world. Groups of young plaintiffs are suing their governments for their inaction on tackling climate change. These suits argue that climate inaction violates their basic human rights. But what do human rights have to do with the environment? Shannon Odell examines our right to a healthy environment...
Mar 23, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/become-a-slam-poet-in-five-steps-gayle-danley With enough passion and practice, becoming a slam poet is within your reach. Explore a distant memory on paper, then read it out loud. Edit. Try reading it out loud again, and add your finishing touches. Gayle Danley offers five steps to being a slam poet -- while being downright poetic in the process. Lesson by Gayle Danley, animation by TED-Ed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...
Mar 22, 2026•5 min
Explore the Amazon rainforest’s flying rivers, and dig into why these invisible waterways are essential to life on Earth. -- The largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon, exists between two rivers — but not in the way you might think. At ground level, the Amazon River and its tributaries weave their path. But above the canopy, bigger waterways are on the move. These flying rivers are almost invisible, but are essential to life on Earth. Iseult Gillespie explores how this crucial system keeps ...
Mar 22, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/euclid-s-puzzling-parallel-postulate-jeff-dekofsky Euclid, known as the "Father of Geometry," developed several of modern geometry's most enduring theorems--but what can we make of his mysterious fifth postulate, the parallel postulate? Jeff Dekofsky shows us how mathematical minds have put the postulate to the test and led to larger questions of how we understand mathematical principles. Lesson by Jeff Dekofsky, animation by The Leading Sheep Studios....
Mar 22, 2026•5 min
Explore how sperm whales use an array of complex vocalizations to communicate with each other, hunt, and assess their surroundings. -- Soon after whaling ships began operating in the North Pacific, an interesting trend emerged. Within just a few years, whalers saw a 58% drop in their successful strikes. Sperm whales had suddenly become harder to kill— they had begun fleeing the boats instead of forming their usual defensive circles. Were whales communicating new strategies to each other? David G...
Mar 22, 2026•8 min
Our bodies get Vitamin D from the sun, but as dermatologist Richard Weller suggests, sunlight may confer another surprising benefit too. New research by his team shows that nitric oxide, a chemical transmitter stored in huge reserves in the skin, can be released by UV light, to great benefit for blood pressure and the cardiovascular system. What does it mean? Well, it might begin to explain why Scots get sick more than Australians ... Talk by Richard Weller. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
Mar 22, 2026•17 min
Dig into common mistakes that tree-planting programs make, and explore strategies that can successfully re-green the planet. -- In fighting climate change, few solutions are discussed more than planting lots and lots of trees. It sounds simple enough: trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, so planting more should help eliminate greenhouse gasses. The trouble is, tree planting efforts don’t always work as planned. So, when is it bad to plant trees? Carolyn Beans explores strategies to successfully...
Mar 22, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/haptography-digitizing-our-sense-of-touch-katherine-kuchenbecker Can the sense of touch be harnessed with technology? The field of haptics explores the revolutionary: interactive touch technology. At TEDYouth 2012, Katherine Kuchenbecker discusses how haptics has the potential to change fields as disparate as museums, dentistry, and stroke rehabilitation. Talk by Katherine Kuchenbecker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 21, 2026•9 min
Explore the common scientific theories about why humans laugh, and how this universal behavior evolved. -- Isn’t it odd that, when something’s funny, you might show your teeth, change your breathing, become weak and achy in some places, and maybe even cry? In other words, why do we do this bizarre thing that is laughter? Since there’s no archaeological record of laughter, it’s impossible to say exactly how and why it evolved, but scientists have some theories. Sasha Winkler digs into the reflex....
Mar 21, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/are-we-ready-for-neo-evolution-harvey-fineberg Medical ethicist Harvey Fineberg shows us three paths forward for the ever-evolving human species: to stop evolving completely, to evolve naturally -- or to control the next steps of human evolution, using genetic modification, to make ourselves smarter, faster, better. Neo-evolution is within our grasp. What will we do with it? Talk by Harvey Fineberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...
Mar 21, 2026•23 min
Explore the psychology of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and dig into how these forces contribute to our drive. -- Motivation is complicated. Psychologists define motivation as the desire or impetus to initiate and maintain a particular behavior. But sometimes, no matter how passionate you are about a goal or hobby, finding the motivation to actually do it can be difficult. Why is motivation so fickle? Explore intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and dig into how these forces contribute to o...
Mar 21, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-lost-art-of-democratic-debate-michael-sandel Democracy thrives on civil debate, Michael Sandel says -- but we're shamefully out of practice. He leads a fun refresher, with TEDsters sparring over a recent Supreme Court case (PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin) whose outcome reveals the critical ingredient in justice. Talk by Michael Sandel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 21, 2026•25 min
Dig into the history of poker, from the game’s invention in the American South to its explosion of popularity across the world. -- From its earliest incarnations, poker has always been a contest of guile, guts, and gambling. The game first emerged around 1800 in the melting pot of New Orleans, and soon spread up the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri rivers. So, how did this simple game of the American South skyrocket in popularity? James McManus shares how the card game became an international aff...
Mar 21, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/building-a-museum-of-museums-on-the-web-amit-sood Imagine being able to see artwork in the greatest museums around the world without leaving your chair. Driven by his passion for art, Amit Sood tells the story of how he developed Art Project to let people do just that. Talk by Amit Sood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 20, 2026•8 min
Uncover the most common misperceptions about pandas, and find out why it's so difficult for them to breed in captivity. -- In the 1930’s, a grand panda drama unfolded at the Chicago Zoo. Zookeepers procured a female panda named Mei Mei, and they were determined to find her a mate. They found a prospective suitor named Mei Lan, and the public eagerly awaited the patter of tiny panda paws. But the wait dragged on... and on. Why weren’t the bears breeding? Lucy Cooke shares common misperceptions ab...
Mar 20, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-hidden-power-of-smiling-ron-gutman Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live -- and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior. Talk by Ron Gutman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...
Mar 20, 2026•10 min
Dig into how rice became a staple in the world’s diet, and the surprising consequences of its traditional production practices. -- Rice contributes over 20% of the calories consumed by humans each year. Korean bibimbap, Nigerian jollof, Indian biryani, Spanish paella, and countless other culinary masterpieces all begin with rice. So how did this humble grain end up in so many cuisines? Carolyn Beans investigates the global expansion of this beloved crop and the unintended consequences of its pop...
Mar 20, 2026•7 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/silk-the-ancient-material-of-the-future-fiorenzo-omenetto Fiorenzo Omenetto shares 20+ astonishing new uses for silk, one of nature's most elegant materials -- in transmitting light, improving sustainability, adding strength and making medical leaps and bounds. On stage, he shows a few intriguing items made of the versatile stuff. Talk by Fiorenzo Omenetto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 20, 2026•13 min
Dig into the monetary value of the ocean, from global trade, to tourism, fishing, and more, as Poseidon contemplates selling it. -- Surveying his vast domain, Poseidon considers retirement. What if someone else donned the coral crown so he could spend his immortality harmonizing with whales and cozying up to hydrothermal vents? Poseidon decides he needs to prioritize himself for once. So, he summons his accountant and asks: how much could he sell the ocean for? Astrid J. Hsu conducts a financial...
Mar 20, 2026•8 min
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-hidden-beauty-of-pollination-louie-schwartzberg Pollination: it's vital to life on Earth but largely unseen by the human eye. Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg shows us the intricate world of pollen and pollinators with gorgeous high-speed images from his film "Wings of Life," inspired by the vanishing of one of nature's primary pollinators, the honeybee. Talk by Louie Schwartzberg, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mar 19, 2026•10 min
Pharaoh Ramesses II presided over a golden age of Egyptian prosperity— but was he a model leader or a master of propaganda? -- Pharaoh Ramesses II reigned for almost 70 years in the 13th century BCE. He presided over a golden age of Egyptian prosperity, power, and wealth. But was he a model leader or a shameless egomaniac and master of propaganda? Jessica Tomkins puts this controversial figure on trial in History vs. Ramesses the Great. Lesson by Jessica Tomkins, directed by Brett Underhill, Por...
Mar 19, 2026•9 min
