TED-Ed

Discover the phenomenon known as asymmetrical sleep, where parts of an animal's brain are asleep while other areas remain active.--Many animals need sleep. But all of the threats and demands animals face don’t just go away when it’s time to doze. That’s why a range of birds, mammals, and even humans experience some degree of asymmetrical sleep, where parts of the brain are asleep and other areas a...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/biofuels-and-bioprospecting-for-beginners-craig-a-kohnBiofuels can provide energy without the reliance on environmentally harmful fossils fuels -- but scientists are still searching for a plentiful source. Craig A. Kohn demonstrates how cellulose, the naturally abundant tough walls of plant cells, might be the solution. Lesson by Craig A. Kohn, animation...

Explore the three main ways viruses can be driven to extinction, and dig into the possibility of COVID-19 dying out.--Viruses are wildly successful organisms. There are about 100 million times as many virus particles on Earth as there are stars in the observable universe. Even so, viruses can and do go extinct. So, what is the possibility of the virus that causes COVID-19 going extinct? Explore th...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/your-brain-is-more-than-a-bag-of-chemicals-david-andersonModern psychiatric drugs treat the chemistry of the whole brain, but neurobiologist David Anderson believes in a more nuanced view of how the brain functions. He illuminates new research that could lead to targeted psychiatric medications -- that work better and avoid side effects. How's he doing i...

Explore the psychology of the phenomenon known as cute aggression, which is the urge to squeeze, bite or pinch something cute.--Watching a kitten fumbling around, it might feel as if you’ve never encountered anything so devastatingly adorable in your mortal life. You may want to pet its soft fur and kiss its tiny head. But you may also feel the conflicting urge… to squeeze or smush the kitten, may...

Computer graphics trailblazer Paul Debevec explains the scene-stealing technology behind Digital Emily, a digitally constructed human face so realistic it stands up to multiple takes. (Filmed at TEDxUSC.)Talk by Paul Debevec. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/weaving-narratives-in-museum-galleries-thomas-p-campbellAs the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Thomas P. Campbell thinks deeply about curating—not just selecting art objects, but placing them in a setting where the public can learn their stories. With glorious images, he shows how his curation philosophy works for displaying medie...

Nothing is original, says Kirby Ferguson, creator of Everything is a Remix. From Bob Dylan to Steve Jobs, he says our most celebrated creators borrow, steal and transform. Talk by Kirby Ferguson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore how beavers build their impressive dams, and what impact these structures have on the surrounding environment. --Nestled in the forests of Canada sits the world’s longest beaver dam. This 850-meter-long structure is large enough to be seen in satellite imagery and has dramatically transformed the region, creating a pond containing 70 million liters of water. But dams of any size can have h...

Dig into the era of China’s Cultural Revolution, and how communist leader Mao Zedong used mangoes as a propaganda tool.--In August 1968, factory workers overheard news of a mandatory meeting. Whispered rumors described shipments of a gift from the country’s Communist leader, Chairman Mao Zedong. And sure enough, managers soon distributed a gift to every factory worker– a glass box encasing a golde...

Five great revolutions have shaped political culture over the past 50 years, says theorist Ivan Krastev. He shows how each step forward -- from the cultural revolution of the '60s to recent revelations in the field of neuroscience -- has also helped erode trust in the tools of democracy. As he says, "What went right is also what went wrong." Can democracy survive? Talk by Ivan Krastev. Learn more...

Chemist Lee Cronin is working on a 3D printer that, instead of objects, is able to print molecules. An exciting potential long-term application: printing your own medicine using chemical inks. Talk by Lee Cronin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thomas Jefferson was a founding father of the United States — but were his principles outweighed by his participation in slavery?--Thomas Jefferson, founding father of the United States and primary author of the Declaration of Independence, was part of America’s fight for freedom and equality. But in his personal life, he held over 600 people in slavery. Are his enlightened principles outweighed b...

Explore how scientists define adulthood, and find out if there’s a specific age at which we reach maturity. --Most countries recognize 18 as the start of adulthood by granting various freedoms and privileges. Yet there’s no exact age or moment in development that we can point to as having reached full maturity. If there’s no consensus on exactly when we reach maturity, when do we actually become a...

Download a free audiobook version of “Into Thin Air“ and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--It’s a bustling day in Pompeii. After a quick visit to the market, Fabia spots her brothers, Lucius and Marcus, crossing the Forum. The siblings begin discussing Lucius’ wedding — but a deafening boom interrupts them. They watch Vesuvius spew smoke, ash, and rock — and reali...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mysteries-of-vernacular-earwig-jessica-oreck-and-rachael-teelAn earwig is neither an ear nor a wig; it is an insect. Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel explain how folklore gave this bug its name, combining entomology with etymology. Lesson by Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel, animation by Jessica Oreck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...

With the same humor and humanity he exuded in An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore spells out 15 ways that individuals can address climate change immediately, from buying a hybrid to inventing a new, hotter "brand name" for global warming. Talk by Al Gore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the gruesome evolutionary strategy employed by parasitoid wasps where they feed off other animals to grow their offspring.--A cockroach and jewel wasp are locked in battle. The wasp latches onto the cockroach and inserts her stinger into the cockroach's brain, where her venom blocks its fight-or-flight response. Now, the cockroach is essentially a zombie, and its carcass will be used to gr...

Dig into the psychology of why rejection causes us pain, and explore strategies to cope with this common experience.--Rejection hurts. It’s incredibly painful to feel like you’re not wanted — and we do mean painful. Researchers found that we relate rejection to being “hurt,” using terms like “crushed” or “broken-hearted.” So, why does rejection trigger such a strong response, and is there any way...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-giant-sea-creatures-eat-tiny-sea-creatures-kelly-benoit-birdIt's a paradox of ocean life: The largest mammals, like dolphins and whales, survive on the tiniest food, like krill. (Picture trying to make a full meal out of flying kernels of popcorn!) So how do these big animals gather enough food to live? At TEDYouth 2012, Kelly Benoit-Bird discusses n...

Practice more problem-solving at https://brilliant.org/TedEd--The fabled Mirzakhani wand is the most powerful magical item ever created. And that’s why the evil wizard Moldevort is planning to use it to conquer the world. You and Drumbledrore have finally discovered its hiding place in a cave, but the wand is hidden by a system of 100 magical stones. Can you figure out how to get to the wand befor...

Joshua Prince-Ramus believes that if architects re-engineer their design process, the results can be spectacular. In his talk, he walks us through his fantastic re-creation of the local Wyly Theater as a giant "theatrical machine" that reconfigures itself at the touch of a button. (Filmed at TEDxSMU.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An insect's ability to fly is perhaps one of the greatest feats of evolution. Michael Dickinson looks at how a fruit fly takes flight with such delicate wings, thanks to a clever flapping motion and flight muscles that are both powerful and nimble. But the secret ingredient: the incredible fly brain. (Filmed at TEDxCaltech.) Talk by Michael Dickinson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...

Explore how the technology of gene drives could lead to the eradication of mosquitoes and what that could mean for our ecosystems.--Mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths every year than any other animal, but very few of the 3,500 mosquito species actually transmit deadly diseases to humans. Scientists have been conducting experiments using engineered technologies called gene drives that...

This is one of five student perspectives featured in the PBS special "TED Talks Education" (#TEDTalksed.) Learn more here: https://www.ted.com/promos/TEDTalksEducationSpecial thanks to our partners in this endeavor: WNET, PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices