TED-Ed

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/are-we-ready-for-neo-evolution-harvey-finebergMedical 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...

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...

Uncover the history of the hidden communities that inhabited the Great Dismal Swamp in North America. --Straddling Virginia and North Carolina is an area that was once described as the “most repulsive of American possessions.” By 1728, it was known as the Great Dismal Swamp. But while many deemed it uninhabitable, recent findings suggest that a hidden society persisted in the Swamp until the mid-1...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/toward-a-new-understanding-of-mental-illness-thomas-inselToday, thanks to better early detection, there are 63% fewer deaths from heart disease than there were just a few decades ago. Thomas Insel, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, wonders: Could we do the same for depression and schizophrenia? The first step in this new avenue of rese...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-lost-art-of-democratic-debate-michael-sandelDemocracy 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...

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...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/building-a-museum-of-museums-on-the-web-amit-soodImagine 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

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 wai...

Discover how mRNA vaccines help your immune system fight viral infections and how this decades-old technology was used to create COVID-19 vaccines.--In the 20th century, most vaccines took over a decade to research, test, and produce. But the vaccines for COVID-19 were cleared for emergency use in less than 11 months. The secret behind this speed is a medical technology that’s been developing for...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-hidden-power-of-smiling-ron-gutmanRon 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 co...

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...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/silk-the-ancient-material-of-the-future-fiorenzo-omenettoFiorenzo 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 Omenett...

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...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/free-falling-in-outer-space-matt-j-carlsonIf you were to orbit the Earth, you'd experience the feeling of free fall, not unlike what your stomach feels before a big dive on a roller coaster. With a little help from Sir Isaac Newton, Matt J. Carlson explains the basic forces acting on an astronaut and why you probably shouldn't try this one at home. Lesso...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-hidden-beauty-of-pollination-louie-schwartzbergPollination: 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....

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 tr...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/beware-online-filter-bubbles-eli-pariserAs web companies strive to tailor their services (including news and search results) to our personal tastes, there's a dangerous unintended consequence: We get trapped in a "filter bubble" and don't get exposed to information that could challenge or broaden our worldview. Eli Pariser argues powerfully that this wil...

Explore a classic philosophical debate and decide: is it human nature to be selfish? And if so, is it possible to overcome it?--The question of whether or not humans are inherently selfish is one of philosophy’s oldest debates. The idea that we only act out of self-interest is an extreme stance that few philosophers would endorse. However, the idea that all humans have a deep selfish streak is som...

Dig into the slippery slope fallacy, which assumes that one step will lead to a series of events that lead to an extreme— often bad— scenario.--It’s 1954. Vietnamese nationalists are on the verge of securing an independent Vietnam under communist leader Ho Chi Minh. U.S. President Eisenhower claims that by virtue of the "falling domino principle," communist control of Vietnam would lead to the glo...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/your-elusive-creative-genius-elizabeth-gilbertElizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk. Talk by Elizabeth Gilbert. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

Explore how the offspring of parasitic butterflies trick their way into ant colonies for food and protection.--You might not guess it, but Alcon blue butterflies are just one of over 200 parasitic butterfly species, all of which target ants. And their offspring live highly unusual lives, tricking their way into ant colonies using mimicry. So, how do these butterflies do it— and why? Francesa Barbe...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-farming-planted-seeds-for-the-internet-patricia-russacWhat does farming have to do with invention and innovation? Permanent residences, division of labor, central government, and complex technologies--all essential for advancing civilizations--could not have been developed without the move from hunting-gathering to farming. Patricia Russac explores h...

Uncover the most common misperceptions about dodos, and find out the truth of how the flightless birds actually went extinct.--Dodos are commonly considered brainless, blundering birds that were poorly adapted and doomed to die off, making their human-mediated extinction effortless and inevitable. But that’s not the case. So, what were dodos actually like? And what really caused their downfall? Le...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/malcolm-gladwell-on-spaghetti-sauceTipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry's pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce -- and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness. Talk by Malcolm Gladwell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-we-see-illusions-mark-changiziWhy can't our extremely complex eyes render simple optical illusions? Surprise, surprise -- it comes back to the brain, which has only evolved to encounter natural stimuli. At TEDYouth 2012, Mark Changizi explains how the brain reckons with optical illusions. Talk by Mark Changizi. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...