TED-Ed

Explore the science behind what causes the incredible light and color of the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis.-- Why do we see those stunning lights in the northern- and southernmost portions of the night sky? The Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis occur when high-energy particles are flung from the Sun's corona toward the Earth and mingle with the neutral atoms in our atmosphere -- ultimate...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/planning-for-the-end-of-oil-richard-searsAs the world's attention focuses on the perils of oil exploration, we present Richard Sears' talk from early February 2010. Sears, an expert in developing new energy resources, talks about our inevitable and necessary move away from oil. Toward ... what? Talk by Richard Sears. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

Trace the rise and fall of the Kingdom of Kush, an overlooked ancient African civilization which fought off both the Egyptians and Romans. --Along the Nile River, in what is now northern Sudan, lay the ancient civilization of Kush. Though they were once conquered by a powerful neighbor, the kings and queens of Kush would go on to successfully challenge two of the most dominant empires in history:...

Explore the depths of Lake Cadagno, a meromictic lake that is considered a model for Earth before the Great Oxidation Event.--In the millions of years since oxygen began saturating Earth’s oceans and atmosphere, most organisms have evolved to rely on this gas. However, there are some places where oxygen-averse microorganisms like those from Earth’s earliest days have re-emerged. And one such place...

By piecing together a complex ecological puzzle, biologist Willie Smits believes he has found a way to re-grow clearcut rainforest in Borneo, saving local orangutans -- and creating a thrilling blueprint for restoring fragile ecosystems. UPDATE: December 2012: The core content of this talk has been challenged on a number of grounds. For details, and for Willie Smits' response to these criticisms,...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/beatboxing-101-beat-nycThere's no need for instruments to make music; you can use the greatest instrument of all, your own body. Members of BEAT NYC teach the basics of beatboxing (think trumpets, bass drums, and everything in between), all while driving around New York City picking up a few friends. Lesson by BEAT NYC, produced by TED-Ed. Learn more abo...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/insights-into-cell-membranes-via-dish-detergent-ethan-perlsteinThe cell membrane, like a good jacket, protects the cell from everything outside of it. How is it simultaneously sturdy, flexible, and capable of allowing the right things to pass through? Ethan Perlstein rediscovers the scientists and their research that have changed the way we study the mem...

VIew full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/illuminating-photography-eva-timothyThe origins of the cameras we use today were invented in the 19th century. Or were they? A millenia before, Arab scientist Alhazen was using the camera obscura to duplicate images, with Leonardo da Vinci following suit 500 years later and major innovations beginning in the 19th century. Eva Timothy tracks the trajector...

In Rajasthan, India, an extraordinary school teaches rural women and men -- many of them illiterate -- to become solar engineers, artisans, dentists and doctors in their own villages. It's called the Barefoot College, and its founder, Bunker Roy, explains how it works. Talk by Bunker Roy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore how coastal communities are impacted by climate change and how they’re adapting to rising sea levels and extreme weather.--Humanity has always adapted to changing weather and moved to regions that best support cultural lifestyles and livelihoods. However, the rise in extreme weather is endangering coastal communities, and even for those with the resources to take action, the pace and natur...

Explore the possibility of nuclear fusion technology to create limitless, on-demand energy with almost no emissions. --Stars have cores hot and dense enough to force atomic nuclei together, forming larger, heavier nuclei in a process known as fusion. In this process, the mass of the end products is slightly less than the mass of the initial atoms. But that “lost” mass doesn’t disappear — it’s conv...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-world-s-english-mania-jay-walkerJay Walker explains why two billion people around the world are trying to learn English. He shares photos and spine-tingling audio of Chinese students rehearsing English -- "the world's second language" -- by the thousands. Talk by Jay Walker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the extraordinary auditory adaptations in the animal kingdom, and find out which creature has the best hearing.--The world is always abuzz with sounds, many of which human ears simply can’t hear. However, other species have extraordinary adaptations that grant them access to realms of sonic extremes. And some of them don’t even have ears— at least, not like we typically imagine. So, which...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/inside-your-computer-bettina-bairHow does a computer work? The critical components of a computer are the peripherals (including the mouse), the input/output subsystem (which controls what and how much information comes in and out), and the central processing unit (the brains), as well as human-written programs and memory. Bettina Bair walks us through th...

Follow a neurosurgeon's attempts to perform a head transplant, and dig into the ethical and biological questions the procedure raises.--In 1970, neurosurgeon Robert White and his team carted two monkeys into an operating room to conduct an ambitious experiment. The objective was to connect the head of Monkey A to the body of Monkey B, in what he considered a whole-body transplant, with the ultimat...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-benjamin-button-got-his-face-ed-ulbrichEd Ulbrich, the digital-effects guru from Digital Domain, explains the Oscar-winning technology that allowed his team to digitally create the older versions of Brad Pitt's face for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."Talk by Ed Ulbrich. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dig into Zora Neale Hurston’s classic novel, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” which follows Janie Crawford in her search for love and agency.--Baritone thunder. Snarling winds. Consuming downpours. Okeechobee, the hurricane of 1928, forced many to flee their ruined communities. But for Janie Crawford, it inspired an unexpected homecoming. So begins Zora Neale Hurston’s acclaimed novel “Their Eyes W...

Examine the myth of the benevolent dictator, which is a leader who holds absolute power yet only uses it for the common good.--Under certain conditions, the idea of a dictator can sound appealing, like when a democracy isn’t functioning as it should due to corruption or political polarization. People may believe the solution is a "benevolent dictator"— a leader who only uses their absolute power f...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/image-recognition-that-triggers-augmented-reality-matt-millsMatt Mills and Tamara Roukaerts demonstrate Aurasma, a new augmented reality tool that can seamlessly animate the world as seen through a smartphone. Going beyond previous augmented reality, their "auras" can do everything from making a painting talk to overlaying live news onto a printed newspa...

Musician and researcher Charles Limb wondered how the brain works during musical improvisation -- so he put jazz musicians and rappers in an fMRI to find out. What he and his team found has deep implications for our understanding of creativity of all kinds. (Filmed at TEDxMidAtlantic.)Talk by Charles Limb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/beach-bodies-in-spoken-word-david-fasanya-and-gabriel-barralagaWhat leads to the way we perceive our body image? In a thought-provoking and humorous performance at TEDYouth 2012, spoken word poets David Fasanya and Gabriel Barralaga pose a challenge to rethink how we see ourselves. Performance by David Fasanya and Gabriel Barralaga. Learn more about your...

Explore the creation of China’s Three Gorges Dam, and find out how the hydroelectric plant generates its power.--In 2018, a single power plant produced more energy than the world’s largest coal-powered and gas-powered plants combined. China’s Three Gorges Dam relies on running water, and is capable of producing more energy than any other power plant on Earth. So what allows Three Gorges to generat...

Explore what happens in the body during miscarriage, and learn about three common treatment options for pregnancy loss.--Globally, around 23 million pregnancies end in miscarriage each year. Despite how common it is, miscarriage can still feel isolating, and for some, emotionally traumatizing. And myths about miscarriage add to the stigma, leading many to blame themselves for the loss. So what hap...

Explore what would happen if we covered the Sahara Desert in solar panels, and the possibility of it solving our energy crisis. --Stretching over roughly nine million square kilometers and with sands reaching temperatures of up to 80° Celsius, the Sahara Desert receives about 22 million terawatt hours of energy from the Sun every year. That’s well over 100 times more energy than humanity consumes...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-are-blue-whales-so-enormous-asha-de-vosBlue whales are the largest animals on the planet, but what helps them grow to the length of a basketball court? Asha de Vos explains why the size of krill make them the ideal food for the blue whale -- it's as if the blue whale was made to eat krill (and krill was made to be eaten by the blue whale).Lesson by A...