TED-Ed

Humankind has been looking for the giant squid (Architeuthis) since we first started taking pictures underwater. But the elusive deep-sea predator could never be caught on film. Oceanographer and inventor Edith Widder shares the key insight -- and the teamwork -- that helped to capture the squid on film for the first time. Talk by Edith Widder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...

Today we know the molecular cause of 4,000 diseases, but treatments are available for only 250 of them. So what's taking so long? Geneticist and physician Francis Collins explains why systematic drug discovery is imperative, even for rare and complex diseases, and offers a few solutions -- like teaching old drugs new tricks. Talk by Francis Collins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-is-the-universe-made-of-dennis-wildfogelThe atoms around you have existed for billions of years -- and most originated in the flaming, gaseous core of a star. Dennis Wildfogel tells the captivating tale of these atoms' long journeys from the Big Bang to the molecules they form today. Lesson by Dennis Wildfogel, animation by Pew36 Animation Studios....

Dive into the mind-bending works of Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges, whose work pioneered the literary style magical realism.--What would it be like to have a limitless memory? Can the meaning of life be found in an infinite library? Is time a labyrinth or a single moment? Jorge Luis Borges explored these questions of infinity in his many works. His body of essays, poems and stories pioneered...

Dig into the tragic tale of Oedipus, who unknowingly fulfills a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother.--When Queen Jocasta of Thebes gave birth to Oedipus, a grim air seized the occasion. Her husband, King Laius, had received a prophecy from Apollo's oracle foretelling that he would die at the hands of his own son. Determined to escape this fate, Laius abandoned the newborn o...

Discover what makes Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony Number Five a musical masterpiece, and uncover the story behind its inception. --Eight ferocious notes open one of the most explosive pieces of music ever composed. Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony Number Five premiered in 1808, and quickly won acclaim. Its central motif and raw emotionality have continued to resound through the ages. So what exac...

Dive into the German tale of Godfather Death and his godson, the doctor who tries to master mortality.--A husband and wife were in despair. The woman had just given birth to their 13th child, and the growing family was quickly running out of food and money. Wandering into the woods, the father encountered a skeletal figure with sunken eyes and a gaunt face: this was Death himself, come to offer hi...

Take a closer look at the challenges of antibiotic resistance and what we can do to prevent losing this vital medicine. --Antibiotics: behind the scenes, they enable much of modern medicine. We use them to cure infectious diseases, and to safely facilitate everything from surgery to chemotherapy to organ transplants. But we’ve stopped discovering new ones and we’re at risk of losing them forever....

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/venom-vs-poison-what-s-the-difference-rose-evelethWould you rather be bitten by a venomous rattlesnake or touch a poisonous dart frog? While both of these animals are capable of doing some serious damage to the human body, they deliver their dangerous toxins in different ways. Rose Eveleth sheds light on the distinction between poison and venom (and why...

Explore the evolution of English spelling conventions throughout history, and find out why it's such an inconsistent language.--Spelling reformers have been advocating for changes to make English spelling more intuitive and less irregular. One example of its messiness: take the “g-h” sound from “enough,” the “o” sound from “women” and the “t-i” sound from “action,” and you could argue that “g-h-o-...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-simple-but-fascinating-story-of-photosynthesis-and-food-amanda-ootenPhotosynthesis is an essential part of the exchange between humans and plants. Amanda Ooten walks us through the process of photosynthesis, also discussing the relationship between photosynthesis and carbohydrates, starch, and fiber -- and how the air we breathe is related to the foo...

An ancient, abandoned alien space station has been discovered. Can you beat everyone in the galaxy and reach it first?--It’s an incredible discovery: an abandoned alien space station filled with precursor technology. Now every species in the galaxy is in a mad dash to get there first, but you’ve got a problem. Your ship can’t hold enough fuel to get you there unless you vent caches of it into spac...

Discover the world’s largest organism: Pando, an enormous and ancient quaking aspen, and find out how it became so huge.--The largest animal in the world is the blue whale, which weighs a massive 150 metric tons. Even so, it’s not remotely close to being the largest organism by weight. That title goes to an organism so huge that it’s estimated to weigh the equivalent of 40 blue whales. So what is...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-danger-of-science-denial-michael-specterVaccine-autism claims, "Frankenfood" bans, the herbal cure craze: All point to the public's growing fear (and, often, outright denial) of science and reason, says Michael Specter. He warns the trend spells disaster for human progress. Talk by Michael Specter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...

Explore the science behind how gas masks work, and how the technology protects us from airborne threats and pollutants.--You might think of gas masks as clunky military-looking devices. But in the near future, we may need to rely on these filters as part of our everyday lives. In addition to emerging diseases, wildfire frequency has more than tripled, and climate change has increased toxic ground...

Get to know the legend of the king known as Prester John, whose myth would impact the decisions of European leaders for 400 years. --In 1165, copies of a strange letter began to circulate throughout Europe. It spoke of a fantastical realm, containing the Tower of Babel and the Fountain of Youth— all ruled over by the letter’s mysterious author: Prester John. Who was this powerful ruler, and was he...

What gives opals their signature shimmering colors? Dig into the science of the gemstone’s formation, millions of years in the making.--In November 1986, Australian miners climbed Lunatic Hill and bored 20 meters into the Earth. They were rewarded with a fist-sized, record breaking gemstone, which they named the Hailey’s Comet opal. Thanks to a characteristic called “play of color,” no two opals l...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-organize-add-and-multiply-matrices-bill-shillitoWhen you're working on a problem with lots of numbers, as in economics, cryptography or 3D graphics, it helps to organize those numbers into a grid, or matrix. Bill Shillito shows us how to work with matrices, with tips for adding, subtracting and multiplying (but not dividing!).Lesson by Bill Shilli...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/an-athlete-uses-physics-to-shatter-world-records-asaf-bar-yosefWhen Dick Fosbury couldn't compete against the skilled high jumpers at his college, he tried jumping in a different way -- backwards. Fosbury improved his record immediately and continued to amaze the world with his new technique all the way to Olympic gold. Asaf Bar-Yosef explains the physic...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-americans-and-canadians-celebrate-labor-day-kenneth-c-davisIn the United States and Canada, the first Monday of September is a federal holiday, Labor Day. Originally celebrated in New York City's Union Square in 1882, Labor Day was organized by unions as a rare day of rest for the overworked during the Industrial Revolution. Kenneth C. Davis illus...

Get to know the story of Shajar Al-Durr, who was born enslaved and rose to become the ruler of Egypt.--The year is 1249 CE. King Louis IX is sailing the Nile, threatening to overthrow the sultan and capture Egypt. Egypt’s commanders ask the sultan’s wife, Shajar Al-Durr, to report this news to the injured sultan. But they don’t know the truth: the sultan is dead, and she is secretly ruling in his...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-business-logic-of-sustainability-ray-andersonAt his carpet company, Ray Anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional "take / make / waste" industrial system on its head. In a gentle, understated way, he shares a powerful vision for sustainable commerce. Talk by Ray Anderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...

Discover the groundbreaking environmental work of Rachel Carson, whose book “Silent Spring” explores how human actions threaten the balance of nature. --In 1958, after receiving a letter describing the deaths of songbirds due to the pesticide known as DDT, Rachel Carson began an investigation into the misuse of chemicals and their toll on nature. In 1962, she published her findings in “Silent Spri...

Learn about the Greek physician and philosopher Galen of Pergamon, whose experiments and discoveries changed medicine.--In the 16th century, an anatomist named Andreas Vesalius made a shocking discovery: the most famous human anatomy texts in the world were wrong. While Vesalius knew he was right, announcing the errors would mean challenging Galen of Pergamon. Who was this towering figure? And why...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-tribes-we-lead-seth-godinSeth Godin argues the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a human social unit from the distant past: tribes. Founded on shared ideas and values, tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make big change. He urges us to do so. Talk by Seth Godin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices