TED-Ed

Explore how oysters use calcium carbonate to create pearls, and how this chemical compound creates a vast array of other materials.--Despite their iridescent colors and smooth shapes, pearls are actually made of the exact same material as the craggy shell that surrounds them. Pearls, urchin spines, the shells of mussels, snails and clams, even coral— all these structures are made out of the same c...

When Colin Stokes' 3-year-old son caught a glimpse of Star Wars, he was instantly obsessed. But what messages did he absorb from the sci-fi classic? Stokes asks for more movies that send positive messages to boys: that cooperation is heroic, and respecting women is as manly as defeating the villain. (Filmed at TEDxBeaconStreet.) Talk by Colin Stokes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megapho...

Discover how scientists are using crowdsourced DNA to find the causes of untreatable diseases, and developing new drug treatments for them.--When scientists don't know the cause of a medical condition, developing a drug treatment takes significant trial and error, and lots of money— which is why we only have drugs for a small proportion of diseases. Researchers are hoping to change this using crow...

Dig into the two main ways we fight the viruses that cause the common cold, and find out if it’s possible to create a cure. --On average, adults catch more than 150 colds throughout their lives. Even with similar symptoms, the cause could be different each time. Common colds are caused by at least 8 different families of virus, each of which can have its own subtypes. How can so many different vir...

David Binder is a major Broadway producer, but last summer he found himself in a small Australian neighborhood, watching locals dance and perform on their lawns -- and loving it. He shows us the new face of arts festivals, which break the boundary between audience and performer and help cities express themselves. Talk by David Binder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the psychology of social identity and in-group bias and discover the conditions that cause people to turn against one another.--One day a pair of brothers working together as shoemakers had an explosive fight that split the family business in two. Over the coming years, this disagreement divided their town— residents and businesses chose sides. Could such a serious divide really be about s...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-is-fat-george-zaidanAs the narrative goes, fat is bad. Well, it's actually more nuanced than that. The type of fat you eat is more impactful on your health than the quantity. George Zaidan examines triglycerides, the varied molecules that make up fat, and how to identify which types of fat you are consuming. Lesson by George Zaidan, animation by Igo...

Each of our bodies is utterly unique, which is a lovely thought until it comes to treating an illness -- when every body reacts differently, often unpredictably, to standard treatment. Tissue engineer Nina Tandon talks about a possible solution: Using pluripotent stem cells to make personalized models of organs on which to test new drugs and treatments, and storing them on computer chips. (Call it...

Download a free audiobook version of “The Midnight Library“ and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--Mumbling fantastical gibberish; devouring blocks of cheese in the nude; peeing in places that aren’t toilets; and jumping out of windows. These are all things people have reportedly done while sleepwalking, a behavior that can be dangerous in some cases. It’s estimate...

Master a variety of communication skills with TED’s official public speaking course. This course will teach you how to identify, develop and share your best ideas with the world. This video - the first in the series - is available for free. If you'd like to continue on this learning journey, you can purchase the full 11-lesson course. All proceeds support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission to develop and...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/pruney-fingers-a-gripping-story-mark-changiziWhy do fingers become pruney when they get wet? Likely, for the same reasons that tires have treads. Mark Changizi examines the evolutionary reasons for pruney fingers, while exploring natural and manmade phenomena, like river networks, that operate similarly. Lesson by Mark Changizi, animation by Lippy. Learn...

Like an actor's script, a sheet of music instructs a musician on what to play (the pitch) and when to play it (the rhythm). Sheet music may look complicated, but once you've gotten the hang of a few simple elements like notes, bars and clefs, you're ready to rock. Tim Hansen hits the instrumental basics you need to read music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A decade ago, Robin Chase founded Zipcar in the US, now the largest car-sharing company in the world. Now she's exploring the next level of car-sharing: Buzzcar, a French startup that lets people rent their own cars to others. The details are fascinating (how does insurance work, exactly?), and the larger vision (she calls it Peers, Inc.) points to a new definition of ownership and entrepreneurshi...

Explore what happens in the brain to trigger procrastination, and what strategies you can use to break the cycle of this harmful practice.--The report you’ve been putting off is due tomorrow. It’s time to buckle down, open your computer ... and check your phone. Maybe watch your favorite YouTube channel? Or maybe you should just start in the morning? This is the cycle of procrastination. So, why d...

Leslie Morgan Steiner was in "crazy love" -- that is, madly in love with a man who routinely abused her and threatened her life. Steiner tells the dark story of her relationship, correcting misconceptions many people hold about victims of domestic violence, and explaining how we can all help break the silence. (Filmed at TEDxRainier.)Talk by Leslie Morgan Steiner. Learn more about your ad choices....

Dig into different strategies that can improve your listening skills so you can become a high quality listener.--It’s easy to tell when someone’s not paying attention, but it can be surprisingly tricky to know what good listening looks like. Good listening is one of the most important things we can do to improve our relationships, develop our worldview, and potentially change people’s minds. So wh...

Imagine you're a shipwrecked sailor adrift in the enormous Pacific. You can choose one of three directions and save yourself and your shipmates -- but each choice comes with a fearful consequence too. How do you choose? In telling the story of the whaleship Essex, novelist Karen Thompson Walker shows how fear propels imagination, as it forces us to imagine the possible futures and how to cope with...

Explore the different types of capitalism, how they operate, and how they impact issues like climate change and rising inequality.--People have become increasingly worried that the threats we face today, like climate change and rising inequality, can’t be solved by a capitalist economic system. So, is that true? And if it is, can we fix capitalism or do we need to tear the system down and build a...

Explore the history of the European plague doctor, and find out where their iconic outfit of a beaked mask and robe came from.--The year is 1656. Your body is wracked by violent chills. Your head pounds and you're too weak to sit up. In your feverish state, you see a strange-looking man wearing a beak-like mask, his body covered from head to toe. Without seeing his face, you know: you have the pla...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/your-brain-can-solve-algorithms-david-j-malanAn algorithm is a mathematical method of solving problems both big and small. Though computers run algorithms constantly, humans can also solve problems with algorithms. David J. Malan explains how algorithms can be used in seemingly simple situations and also complex ones. Lesson by David J. Malan, animation...

Find out what’s happening in the brain when you have a migraine and what we still don’t know about this complex disorder.--A throbbing, pounding headache. Bright zigzagging lines across your field of vision. Sensitivity to light, lingering fatigue, disrupted sleep. While an incapacitating headache is one of the most common symptoms, a migraine can include any of these experiences. So what exactly...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/pros-and-cons-of-public-opinion-polls-jason-robert-jaffeHow do public opinion polls work? And, more importantly, are they accurate? Jason Robert Jaffe reveals the complexities and biases of polls and provides tips on how to think about polls as we make everyday decisions. Lesson by Jason Robert Jaffe, animation by Flaming Medusa Studios. Learn more about...

Explore how scientists are developing a flu vaccine that would protect you against every strain— even ones that don’t exist yet.--There’s a vaccine being developed now that would protect you against every strain of the flu— even ones that don’t exist yet. But influenza is constantly mutating, so is a universal vaccine even possible? And how do you design a vaccine that will be effective against fu...

James Glattfelder studies complexity: how an interconnected system -- say, a swarm of birds -- is more than the sum of its parts. And complexity theory, it turns out, can reveal a lot about how the economy works. Glattfelder shares a groundbreaking study of how control flows through the global economy, and how concentration of power in the hands of a shockingly small number leaves us all vulnerabl...

Explore the model known as doughnut economics, which aims to meet the needs of people without overshooting Earth's ecological limits.--Can we call any economy “healthy” in the face of dwindling resources and growing inequality? What if we cut off our addiction to endless growth, and used a new compass for modern prosperity? One such compass is known as “doughnut economics,” which aims to meet the...