TED-Ed

Dig into the history that inspired Shakespeare’s tragedy, “Macbeth,” and find out just how much of the play is based on real events.--Of all Shakespeare’s plays, perhaps none is stranger than “Macbeth”— a parable on power rife with supernatural elements. But according to texts from the 11th century, this tragedy has its roots in reality. What’s more, other accounts mention witches, prophecies, and...

Traditional lab tests for disease diagnosis can be too expensive and cumbersome for the regions most in need. George Whitesides' ingenious answer is a foolproof tool that can be manufactured at virtually zero cost. (Filmed at TEDxBoston.)Talk by George Whitesides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine global security driven by collaboration -- among agencies, government, the private sector and the public. That's not just the distant hope of open-source fans, it's the vision of James Stavridis, a highly accomplished Navy Admiral. Stavridis shares vivid moments from recent military history to explain why security of the future should be built with bridges rather than walls. Talk by James...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/maajid-nawaz-a-global-culture-to-fight-extremismWhy do transnational extremist organizations succeed where democratic movements have a harder time taking hold? Maajid Nawaz, a former Islamist extremist, asks for new grassroots stories and global social activism to spread democracy in the face of nationalism and xenophobia in this powerful Talk from TEDGl...

Dig into the challenges of modern pastoralism, a form of agriculture where farmers guide livestock to seasonal grazing areas.--For millennia, livestock farmers strategically guided animals to seasonal grazing areas. This mobile way of life, known as pastoralism, provided them with wealth, social status, and political independence into the 20th century. But in the last century, political and econom...

Explore the middle ground fallacy, which assumes that the truth is always a compromise between two extreme opposing positions.--It’s 1819. The US is preparing to make Missouri and Maine new states. One representative insists that slavery shouldn’t be allowed in any new state. Another believes it should be a state’s right to choose. A compromise is proposed: slavery will be allowed in Missouri and...

Explore what would happen if all of humanity’s satellites disappeared and the real-life scenarios that could lead to such a catastrophe. --What would happen if one day all of humanity’s artificial satellites suddenly disappeared? Within hours, most of the planet’s traffic would grind to a halt, the world economy would shut down, and most countries would declare a state of emergency. Even in the be...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/ellen-dunham-jones-retrofitting-suburbiaEllen Dunham-Jones fires the starting shot for the next big sustainable design project: retrofitting suburbia. To come: Dying malls rehabilitated, dead "big box" stores reinhabited, and parking lots transformed into thriving wetlands. Talk by Ellen Dunham-Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

Explore the classic poem, “Beowulf,” which follows a heroic prince as he fights to free a kingdom from the monster Grendel.--An epic written in Old English, “Beowulf” is known for its haunting monsters, dream-like language, and paranoid perspective, where violent threats are always waiting on the fringes of society. The action follows Beowulf, a prince of Geats, who travels to aid a kingdom in fre...

Artist Neil Harbisson was born completely color blind, but these days a device attached to his head turns color into audible frequencies. Instead of seeing a world in grayscale, Harbisson can hear a symphony of color -- and yes, even listen to faces and paintings. Talk by Neil Harbisson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/situational-irony-the-opposite-of-what-you-think-christopher-warnerLeaps and bounds separate that which is ironic and that which many people simply say is ironic. Christopher Warner wants to set the record straight: Something is ironic if and only if it is the exact opposite of what you would expect. Lesson by Christopher Warner, animation by Ben Pearce....

Work-life balance, says Nigel Marsh, is too important to be left in the hands of your employer. Marsh lays out an ideal day balanced between family time, personal time and productivity -- and offers some stirring encouragement to make it happen. (Filmed at TEDxSydney.)Talk by Nigel Marsh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dig into how the Sun and Moon are responsible for the tides on Earth, and what this force looks like on other celestial bodies.--In the 17th century, Isaac Newton offered the first gravitational explanation of tides. As he correctly identified, tides are choreographed by the motions of celestial objects, and Earth’s tides in particular are mostly driven by the Moon. But the precise nature of this...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/solving-the-puzzle-of-the-periodic-table-eric-rosadoHow did the periodic table of elements revolutionize our understanding of the world? What scientists contributed to the table we have today? Eric Rosado discusses the key people and discoveries that have molded our understanding of chemistry today. Lesson by Eric Rosado, animation by Other Scientist Pro...

Follow Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, as he attempts to outwit the Buddha and escape from his clever traps and imprisonment.--After wreaking havoc across the heavens and being captured in a white-hot prison cell, the Monkey King freed himself once more and was itching for a fight. Desperate, the Jade Emperor called on the supreme power in all the heavens: the Buddha himself. But even in the face of...

Dig into the myth of the Green Knight, who comes to King Arthur’s court to challenge the honor and bravery of Camelot’s knights. --It was Christmas in Camelot and King Arthur was throwing a party. In the midst of the revelry, a towering knight proposed a game. He challenged the warriors present to attack him with his own axe. If they could strike him down, they would win his powerful weapon. Howev...

Discover the surprising biodiversity of soil, and how its microbes help support all life on Earth.--It may not appear very lively six feet underground, but a single teaspoon of soil contains more organisms than there are human beings on the planet. From bacteria and algae to fungi and protozoa, soils are home to one quarter of Earth’s biodiversity. And perhaps soil’s most important inhabitants are...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/inside-a-cartoonist-s-world-liza-donnellyFrom cave drawings to the Sunday paper, artists have been visualizing ideas -- cartoons -- for centuries. New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly walks us through the many stages every cartoon goes through, starting with an idea and turning into something that connects us on a deeply human level. Lesson by Liza Donnel...

What could our future look like if we harness our technology to create a sustainable world? Take a look at the possibilities.--Faced with the realities of current crises, it’s easy to assume our world is headed in a bleak direction. But there’s good reason to be hopeful— with developments in science and technology, a positive future is more viable than ever before. So, what if the future was aweso...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/radioactivity-expect-the-unexpected-steve-weatherallNeutrons don't change into protons. Except, sometimes, they do. Radioactivity is the process under which the nucleus can change spontaneously from one element to another. Steve Weatherall suggests that we acknowledge both the usefulness and danger inherent in harvesting radioactivity. Talk by Steve Weat...

Dig into the system that helps scientists distinguish trees from other varieties of plants, and what characteristics make a tree.--Plants assume a variety of forms, and trees are just one of them. What makes or breaks a tree can come down to some pretty specific characteristics, based on how the plant develops as a result of how it evolved. Trees don’t all comprise one closely related group, like...

Christopher McDougall explores the mysteries of the human desire to run. How did running help early humans survive -- and what urges from our ancient ancestors spur us on today? McDougall tells the story of the marathoner with a heart of gold, the unlikely ultra-runner, and the hidden tribe in Mexico that runs to live. (Filmed at TEDxPennQuarter.)Talk by Christopher McDougall. Learn more about you...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mysteries-of-vernacular-gorgeous-jessica-oreck-and-rachael-teelFrom whirlpools and ravines to superlative beauty, what is the trajectory of the word gorgeous? Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel reveal the surprising variations in meaning (and what turtleneck-like fashion has to do with it).Lesson by Jessica Oreck and Rachael Teel, animation by Jessica Oreck....

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/robert-lang-folds-way-new-origamiRobert Lang is a pioneer of the newest kind of origami -- using math and engineering principles to fold mind-blowingly intricate designs that are beautiful and, sometimes, very useful. Talk by Robert Lang. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dig into the monetary value of the Sun and how important it is as our energy source as Daedalus contemplates buying it.--Daedalus hasn’t been the same since losing Icarus. Suddenly, he begins expressing interest in buying the Sun from Helios. Rumors say Daedalus is aspiring to destroy it to avenge Icarus — or channel its immense power towards other imprudent aims. He summons a divine accountant an...