TED-Ed

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-punishable-perils-of-plagiarism-melissa-huseman-d-annunzioFighting plagiarism is serious business. From brainchild-snatching to wholly quotables, plagiarists have plenty of wily ways to pass others' work off as their own -- and all of them are threats to original thinking. Melissa Huseman D'Annunzio imagines what would happen if a Department of Plagi...

View full lesson here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-the-size-of-your-screen-matters-brian-gervaseWatching a movie at home isn't quite the same experience as seeing it at a movie theater -- but why? Learn how changes in aspect ratio affect every film, and why your television might not be delivering the whole picture. Lesson by Brian Gervase, animation by Andrei Feheregyhazi. Learn more about your...

Explore the science of bone lengthening surgery, and discover the benefits and limitations of this still-developing technology.--Differences in leg length can emerge for various reasons, from genetic and hormonal conditions to injuries that impact bone growth. But while we still don’t know exactly what degree of difference causes health issues, doctors have made great strides in figuring out how t...

View the full lesson here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/michael-mitchell-a-clever-way-to-estimate-enormous-numbersHave you ever tried to guess how many pieces of candy there are in a jar? Or tackled a mindbender like: "How many piano tuners are there in Chicago?" Physicist Enrico Fermi was very good at problems like these -- learn how he used the power of 10 to make amazingly fast estimations of big...

Discover the incredible ways elephants use their trunks to sense and communicate information and emotion. --As a breeze blows through the savannah, a snake-shaped tube stretches into the air and scans the horizon like a periscope. But it’s not seeing— it’s sniffing. Containing no bones and an estimated 40,000 muscles, an elephant trunk is one of the most versatile tools in the animal kingdom. Chas...

Explore how our bodies change and age over time, and the three common markers scientists use to measure aging.--If you want to learn a tree’s age, you can count their rings. When it comes to humans, scientists have yet to find any visible traits that mark our age with the same specificity. But in the past few decades, they’ve discovered small, invisible markers hidden within the body that do chang...

Dig into the genetic adaptations of cockroaches, and find out what makes it so hard to get rid of these tenacious creatures.--In ancient Egypt, there was a spell that declared, “Be far from me, O vile cockroach.” Thousands of years later, we’re still trying to oust these insects. But from poison traps to brandished slippers, cockroaches seem to weather just about everything we throw at them. So, w...

View full lesson here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/daniel-dulek-how-big-is-a-mole-not-the-animal-the-other-oneThe word "mole" suggests a small, furry burrowing animal to many. But in this lesson, we look at the concept of the mole in chemistry. Learn the incredible magnitude of the mole--and how something so big can help us calculate the tiniest particles in the world. Lesson by Daniel Dulek, animat...

Learn more at https://brilliant.org/TedEd--In 1980, philosopher John Searle developed a thought experiment in response to AI advancement at the time. His aim was to interrogate whether a programmed computer has cognitive states, and asked: if a computer looks like it understands something, does that mean it actually understands the way a human does? Charles Wallace and Dan Kwartler explore whether...

Explore the ways that lead exposure can harm the human body, and why this toxic element can be found in so many products.--Lead is a metallic element that’s distributed across Earth’s crust. When it enters the human body, it can disrupt many critical processes that span various systems, producing a diverse set of symptoms. So, just how bad is lead for human health? And if it’s really that dangerou...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-take-a-great-picture-carolina-molinariHave you ever looked at your camera and wondered what all of those buttons actually do? For manual photography, the aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity can all be manipulated to get just the right amount of light. Carolina Molinari suggests the best exposure for an action photo, a stunning portrait or...

Practice more problem-solving at https://brilliant.org/TedEd--As Numberland’s best detective, you thought you’d seen it all. But the desiccated corpses of prominent natural numbers have been showing up all over the city. A lockdown is ordered from sundown to sunrise, and it’s still not enough to stop what can only be described as a vampiric feeding frenzy. Can you figure out why the citizens of Nu...

View full lesson here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/scott-kennedy-how-to-prove-a-mathematical-theoryEuclid of Alexandria revolutionized the way that mathematics is written, presented or thought about, and introduced the concept of mathematical proofs. Discover what it takes to move from a loose theory or idea to a universally convincing proof. Lesson by Scott Kennedy, animation by Karrot Animation. L...

Dig into how sleep deprivation affects the teenage body and brain, and what can be done to help adolescents get enough sleep.--Sleep deprivation among American teenagers is an epidemic. Only about 1 in 10 teens gets the 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night recommended by sleep scientists and pediatricians. So, what’s going on? And what changes can be made to address this issue? Wendy Troxel shares how...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/steve-kelly-logarithms-explainedWhat are logarithms and why are they useful? Get the basics on these critical mathematical functions -- and discover why smart use of logarithms can determine whether your eyes turn red at the swimming pool this summer. Lesson by Steve Kelly, animation by TED-Ed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

Is there a best sleep position? Dig into how sleeping on your side, back, or stomach can impact your body and health.--Sleep positions go by countless creative names— the zombie, mountain climber, free faller, soldier, and more. Yet sleep experts typically simplify them into the basic types: side, stomach, or back. Individual sleep styles are highly personal, but how we spend the night affects our...

In Libya, Zahra' Langhi was part of the "days of rage" movement that helped topple the dictator Gaddafi. But -- then what? In their first elections, Libyans tried an innovative slate of candidates, the "zipper ballot," that ensured equal representation from men and women of both sides. Yet the same gridlocked politics of dominance and exclusion won out. What Libya needs now, Langhi suggests, is co...

Deep brain stimulation is becoming very precise. This technique allows surgeons to place electrodes in almost any area of the brain, and turn them up or down -- like a radio dial or thermostat -- to correct dysfunction. Andres Lozano offers a dramatic look at emerging techniques, in which a woman with Parkinson's instantly stops shaking and brain areas eroded by Alzheimer's are brought back to lif...

View full lesson here: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mark-salata-how-taking-a-bath-led-to-archimedes-principleStories of discovery and invention often begin with a problem that needs solving. Summoned by the king to investigate a suspicious goldsmith, the early Greek mathematician Archimedes stumbles upon the principle that would make him famous. Lesson by Amdon Consulting's Mark Salata, animation by...

Explore the sustainability of fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable energy and how much space each of these power sources use.--No matter how we make electricity, it takes up space. Coal requires mines, and plants to convert it into electricity. Nuclear power takes uranium mines, facilities to refine it, a reactor, and a place to store the spent fuel safely. Renewable energy needs wind turbin...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-history-of-keeping-timeWhere did time-telling come from? What are time zones and why are there so many of them? Get the answers to these questions and more in this journey through the history of time -- from sundials to hourglasses to modern clocks. Lesson by Karen Mensing, animation by Avi Ofer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

Dig into what causes the tip of the tongue phenomenon, where your brain struggles to recall a word or term from memory.--You’re sure you know your 3rd grade teacher’s name— it’s like you’re hovering over it in your mind, but it just won’t materialize. Researchers call this tantalizing torment a “tip-of-the-tongue state,” and it’s something everyone experiences. But what’s actually happening when a...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/jackie-jenkins-greeting-the-world-in-peaceConflict and cultural clashes are a part of our global reality, but so is the universal desire for peace. From Bangladesh to Myanmar to Lesotho, discover this inspiring common sentiment in traditional greetings of peace. Lesson by Jackie Jenkins, animation by TED-Ed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...

Explore what we know about seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and find out the best way to treat these behavioral changes.--As winter approaches, shorter days spark a cascade of changes within the brains of animals. As a result, groundhogs retreat to their burrows for hibernation, weasels’ coats turn from brown to white, and birds cease their singing. And scientists are finding that seasonal behav...

Dig into the bitter history of kola nuts, a sacred ingredient in West African culture and part of Coca-Cola's original recipe.--The kola nut is the seed of the kola tree, a small evergreen native to the forests of West Africa, where it’s long been integral to the cultural fabric of many communities. So, how did this sacred ingredient end up all around the world? And how did it make its way into th...