TED-Ed

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/an-anti-hero-of-one-s-own-tim-adamsHow can an anti-hero teach us about the heroic--and sometimes,the unheroic--characteristics that shape a story's protagonist? From jealousy to self-doubt, Tim Adams challenges us to consider how anti-heroes reflect the very mortal weaknesses that can be found within all of us. Lesson by Tim Adams, animation by Wood Gobl...

Sign up for our newsletter and never miss an animation: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterWelcome to the world of Lucius Popidius Secundus, a 17-year old living in Rome in 73 AD. His life is a typical one of arranged marriages, coming-of-age festivals, and communal baths. Take a look at this exquisitely detailed lesson on life of a typical Roman teenager two thousand years ago. Lesson by Ray Laurence,...

Episode 3: Discover how to put together the throughline, or main idea that acts as a connective thread or roadmap for your presentation.--This is episode 3 of the animated series, “Public Speaking 101.” Ideas change everything — and since language lets us share our ideas, learning how to use it well gives speakers the power to inspire people and even change how they think. This 11-episode course w...

Explore the Big Whack theory, and how the event could have created the Moon and given Earth its all-important axial tilt.--4.5 billion years ago, Earth was struck by a rock the size of Mars flying 9 kilometers a second. The force of this collision temporarily turned Earth’s surface into an ocean of molten magma. Today, some scientists call this cosmic crash the Big Whack, and we’re still dealing w...

Throughout the history of Islam, says journalist Bobby Ghosh, there have been two sides to jihad: one, internal, a personal struggle to be better, the other external. A small minority (most recently Osama bin Laden) has appropriated the second, using it as an excuse for deadly global violence against "the West." Ghosh suggests that, now that bin Laden's worldwide organization has fragmented, it's...

Trace the history of the eugenics movement in the US, and discover how the belief in ideal genetics led to forced sterilizations.--Since ancient Greece, humans have controlled populations via reproduction, retaining some traits and removing others. But in the 19th century, a new scientific movement dedicated to this endeavor emerged: eugenics. Scientists believed they could improve society by ensu...

Examine the myth of the Lost Cause: a campaign created by pro-Confederates after the Civil War to promote the lie that they seceded for state's rights.--In the 1860’s, 11 southern states withdrew from the United States and formed the Confederacy. They seceded in response to the growing movement for the nationwide abolition of slavery. Yet barely a year after the Civil War ended, southern sources b...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/dark-matter-how-does-it-explain-a-star-s-speed-don-lincolnAll the stars in a spiral galaxy rotate around a center -- but to astronomers, the speed that each star travels wasn't making sense. Why didn't stars slow down toward the edges as expected? Don Lincoln explains how a mysterious force called dark matter is (possibly) the answer -- and why the searc...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/gerrymandering-how-drawing-jagged-lines-can-impact-an-election-christina-greer District lines, and the groups of voters within them, may seem arbitrary, but a lot of thought (and political bickering) is put into these carefully drawn lines. From "packing" a district to "cracking" a district--learn how the shape of districts impacts political parties duri...

Explore the effects that isolation has on your body and brain, and how a lack of interaction and activity can impact our well-being.--Everyone needs time to themselves, and peaceful solitude has stress-relieving benefits. But when being alone is forced upon you, the effects can be surprisingly extensive. And though different people experience distinct effects, symptoms tend to become more severe a...

Learn more at https://brilliant.org/TedEd --In one of Aesop’s fables, a crow is searching for water. It spies a pitcher— but the water inside is beyond its reach. So, the crow begins dropping in pebbles. One-by-one, they displace the water, and the crow quenches its thirst. This is just one of many fascinating displays of intelligence from corvids. Katharina Brecht digs into what makes this bold,...

Dig into the science of soy, and discover what makes soybeans such versatile plants and whether it’s healthy for you and the planet.--Soybeans have been cultivated in Asia for thousands of years, and have since spread across the globe. Today, soy is in so many foods that most people consume it every day without even knowing it. So, what makes soybeans so versatile? And is our global obsession heal...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/diagnosing-zombies-brain-and-behavior-tim-verstynen...How are different brain stimulations involved with human behaviors--and how can observing a zombie help us understand the brain? In the second part of the Diagnosing Zombies series, two scientists continue to ponder the erratic behaviors of a zombie to explore the relationship between the brain and be...

Dig into the science of how and why fireflies glow, and how their bioluminescent signals differ between males and females.--The first firefly is thought to have lived over 100 million years ago, illuminating the night with a glowing green light. And today, there are around 2,000 firefly species, found all over the world, from forests and grasslands to marshes and deserts. So, why do these insects...

Today's math curriculum is teaching students to expect -- and excel at -- paint-by-numbers classwork, robbing kids of a skill more important than solving problems: formulating them. In his talk, Dan Meyer shows classroom-tested math exercises that prompt students to stop and think. (Filmed at TEDxNYED.)Talk by Dan Meyer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/equality-sports-and-title-ix-erin-buzuvis-and-kristine-newhall In 1972, U.S. Congress passed Title IX, a law which prohibited discrimination against women in schools, colleges, and universities -- including school-sponsored sports. Before this law, female athletes were few and far between, and funding was even scarcer. Erin Buzuvis and Kristine Newhall e...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/who-made-the-american-constitution-judy-waltonHow did a meeting intended to revise the Articles of Confederation lead to the new Constitution for the United States? Discover how a handful of men--sitting in sweltering heat and shrouded by secrecy--changed the course of history for America in 1787. Lesson by Judy Walton, animation by Ace & Son Moving Pict...

Dig into the Greek myth of Dionysus, the god of winemaking and excess, and his journey to his ancestral home in Thebes.--Acoetes of Maeonia had been roped into serving as the navigator for a band of pirates. And now the pirates had kidnapped a sleeping youth. As they laid their victim’s body on the ship, Acoetes felt the pit in his stomach deepen. The pirates hadn’t noticed, but their new captive...

Explore how saunas can affect your body, and dig into the health benefits and limitations of this millennia-old tradition.--Finnish sauna, Roman balneae, Japanese onsen, and Indigenous American sweat lodges are just a few examples of how cultures across the globe have long considered exposure to extreme temperatures therapeutic. But today scientists are only just beginning to unravel how and why t...

Trace the ancient history of the pigeon, and discover how these birds became one of the most abundant species on the planet.--Seeing their meat as a protein source and their poop as the perfect fertilizer, humans brought pigeons into captivity as far back as 10,000 years ago. As we carried pigeons around the world, they formed the wild urban flocks we're familiar with today and became one of the m...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-happy-secret-to-better-work-shawn-achorWe believe that we should work to be happy, but could that be backwards? In this fast-moving and entertaining talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that actually happiness inspires productivity. (Filmed at TEDxBloomington.)Talk by Shawn Achor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the role concrete plays in global warming and how scientists are working to create a cleaner, more sustainable concrete.--Today roads, sidewalks, bridges, and skyscrapers are made of a material called concrete. There’s three tons of it for every person on Earth. It’s also played a surprisingly large role in rising global temperatures over the last century. So, what exactly makes concrete p...

Dig into the Greek myth of Meleager, who set out to end a boar’s destruction of his city along with Greece’s best warriors.--The night of her son's birth, the queen of Calydon was visited by three shadowy goddesses, known as the Fates. They gestured towards the blazing hearth and decreed that her son would live only until the burning log was reduced to embers. Terrified, the queen locked the log i...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/diagnosing-a-zombie-tim-verstynen-brad-voytekZombies eat brains. They are also, like all of us, driven by brain functions. What is happening in their brains to make them act as they do? In this intriguing dialogue, Tim Verstynen & Brad Voytek apply the various human medical possibilities that make zombies...zombies. Lesson by Tim Verstynen & Brad Voytek,...

View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-breathing-works-nirvair-kaurWe breathe constantly, but have you ever thought about how breathing works? Discover the ins and outs of one of our most basic living functions-- from the science of respiration to how to control your breaths. Lesson by Nirvair Kaur, animation by Santiago Uceda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...