TED-Ed

When Nancy Lublin started texting teenagers to help with her social advocacy organization, what she found was shocking -- they started texting back about their own problems, from bullying to depression to abuse. So she's setting up a text-only crisis line, and the results might be even more important than she expected. Talk by Nancy Lublin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/every-city-needs-healthy-honey-bees-noah-wilson-richBees have been rapidly and mysteriously disappearing from rural areas, with grave implications for agriculture. But bees seem to flourish in urban environments -- and cities need their help, too. Noah Wilson-Rich suggests that urban beekeeping might play a role in revitalizing both a city and a species....

Dig into the history of the elite mercenaries known as condottieri, who were soldiers for hire for Italy's rich and powerful.--During the 14th and 15th centuries, mercenaries known as condottieri dominated Italian warfare, profiting from— and encouraging— the region’s intense political rivalries. As rulers competed for power and prestige, their disputes often played out in military conflicts, foug...

Practice more problem-solving at https://brilliant.org/TedEd--You and your best friend Bill are the greatest bards in the kingdom— but maybe not the brightest. Your hit song has insulted the king and now you’re slated for execution. Luckily, Death is a connoisseur of most excellent music and has decided to give you a chance to escape your fate. Can you beat him at a life-sized game of Snakes and L...

Eduardo Paes is the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, a sprawling, complicated, beautiful city of 6.5 million. He shares four big ideas about leading Rio -- and all cities -- into the future, including bold (and do-able) infrastructure upgrades and how to make a city "smarter." Talk by Eduardo Paes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-future-beyond-traffic-gridlock-bill-fordBill Ford is a car guy -- his great-grandfather was Henry Ford, and he grew up inside the massive Ford Motor Co. So when he worries about cars' impact on the environment, and about our growing global gridlock problem, it's worth a listen. His vision for the future of mobility includes "smart roads," even smarter...

Get to know 3 factors that can help you identify pseudoscience, and find out how it differs from actual science.--Pseudoscience is a set of theories, methods, and assumptions that appear scientific, but aren’t. In the worst cases, pseudoscience practitioners encourage this confusion to exploit people. But even when it's well-intentioned, pseudoscience can still prevent people from getting the help...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-i-must-speak-out-about-climate-change-james-hansenTop climate scientist James Hansen tells the story of his involvement in the science of and debate over global climate change. In doing so he outlines the overwhelming evidence that change is happening and why that makes him deeply worried about the future. Talk by James Hansen. Learn more about your...

Explore the defining features of being in a flow state, and get tips on how you can find flow in your daily life.--Flow is more than just concentrating or paying attention; it's a unique mental state of effortless engagement. And those who more frequently experience flow report higher levels of positive emotions, creativity, and feelings of accomplishment. But what exactly is flow? And how can we...

Get to know the story of Irena Sendler, a social worker who saved over 2,000 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII.--In 1943, Irena Sendler and Janina Grabowska froze when they heard Gestapo pounding on the front door. Knowing she was minutes from arrest, Irena tossed Janina her most dangerous possession: a glass jar containing the names of over 2,000 Jewish children she’d smuggled to...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/we-need-to-talk-about-an-injustice-bryan-stevensonIn an engaging and personal talk -- with cameo appearances from his grandmother and Rosa Parks -- human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson shares some hard truths about America's justice system, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines: a third of the country's black male population has been incarc...

Explore the history of court jesters, from 7th century China to medieval Europe, and how they were able to speak truth to power.--Contrary to common belief, jesters weren’t just a medieval European phenomenon but flourished in other times and cultures. The first reliably recorded jester is thought to be You Shi, of 7th century BCE China. Jesters had unique relationships to power: they could be vie...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-earth-is-full-paul-gildingHave we used up all our resources? Have we filled up all the livable space on Earth? Paul Gilding suggests we have, and the possibility of devastating consequences, in a talk that's equal parts terrifying and, oddly, hopeful. Talk by Paul Gilding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the science of why single-use and rechargeable batteries die, and find out why recycling batteries can be challenging.--Almost all batteries, even single-use batteries, are theoretically rechargeable. That’s because the metals and other chemicals are still there in the battery. So chemically speaking, a dead battery is actually not that different from a fresh one. Then why do batteries die...

Imagine what we could learn about diseases by studying the history of human disease, from ancient hominids to the present. But how? TED Fellow Christina Warinner is an achaeological geneticist, and she's found a spectacular new tool -- the microbial DNA in fossilized dental plaque. Talk by Christina Warinner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-quest-to-understand-consciousness-antonio-damasioEvery morning we wake up and regain consciousness -- that is a marvelous fact -- but what exactly is it that we regain? Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio uses this simple question to give us a glimpse into how our brains create our sense of self. Talk by Antonio Damasio. Learn more about your ad choices....

Practice more problem-solving at https://brilliant.org/teded--Right now, invisible signals are flying through the air all around you. Massive radio waves carry information between computers, GPS systems, cell phones, and more. And the sky is flooded with interference from routers, satellites, and, of course, people flying who haven’t put their phones on airplane mode. So, what exactly does airplan...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/less-stuff-more-happiness-graham-hillWriter and designer Graham Hill asks: Can having less stuff, in less room, lead to more happiness? He makes the case for taking up less space, and lays out three rules for editing your life. Talk by Graham Hill Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Download a free audiobook version of “Project Hail Mary" and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--Since the 1950s, governments, companies, and researchers have been planting flags among the stars. But while it might seem like there’s plenty of room in space, some pieces of celestial real estate are more valuable than others. As far as human space exploration is conce...

Discover the adaptation of the pharyngeal jaw, a secondary set of jaws that allow fish to capture and eat their prey at the same time. --After stalking a cuttlefish, a moray eel finally pounces. As the eel snags the mollusk in its teeth, its prey struggles to escape. But before it can wiggle away, a second set of teeth lunge from the eel’s throat. This adaptation is called a pharyngeal jaw, and is...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-is-power-divided-in-the-united-states-government-belinda-stutzmanArticle II of the United States Constitution allows for three separate branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial), along with a system of checks and balances should any branch get too powerful. Belinda Stutzman breaks down each branch and its constitutionally-entitled...

Explore the science of wastewater treatment, and find out why water reuse has become increasingly common worldwide.--In 2003, Singapore’s national water agency launched an unprecedented program to provide more than 50% of their nation’s water supply by recycling wastewater. The program had been planned for decades to ensure the island nation never ran out of clean water. But is it really safe to r...

Most politicians choose their words carefully, to shape the reality they hope to create. But does it work? Etymologist Mark Forsyth shares a few entertaining word-origin stories from British and American history (for instance, did you ever wonder how George Washington became "president"?) and draws a surprising conclusion. (From TEDxHousesofParliament in London)Talk by Mark Forsyth. Learn more abo...

Get to know the story of Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old glacier mummy who researchers discovered had been murdered.--In September 1991, two hikers discovered a corpse emerging from the ice. Researchers soon realized they were looking at the mummified body of a man who’d lived about 5,300 years ago, and theorized he got caught in bad weather and froze. However, a shocking discovery revealed his...

Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee has two powerful stories to tell -- of her own life's transformation and of the untapped potential of girls around the world. Can we transform the world by unlocking the greatness of girls? Talk by Leymah Gbowee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices