TED-Ed

Discover the unique conditions that make the Black Sea host to dozens of shipwrecks that date back thousands of years. --In 2017, researchers off the Bulgarian coast discovered the oldest intact shipwreck ever found. This ancient Greek vessel was not only nearly 2,500 years old, but was just one of 65 shipwrecks found at the bottom of the Black Sea in remarkable condition. So, why does the Black S...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-art-gives-shape-to-cultural-change-thelma-goldenThelma Golden, curator at the Studio Museum in Harlem, talks through three recent shows that explore how art examines and redefines culture. The "post-black" artists she works with are using their art to provoke a new dialogue about race and culture -- and about the meaning of art itself. Talk by Thelma...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-i-m-a-weekday-vegetarian-graham-hillWe all know the arguments that being vegetarian is better for the environment and for the animals -- but in a carnivorous culture, it can be hard to make the change. Graham Hill has a powerful, pragmatic suggestion: Be a weekday veg. Talk by Graham Hill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/toy-tiles-that-talk-to-each-other-david-merrillMIT grad student David Merrill demos Siftables -- cookie-sized, computerized tiles you can stack and shuffle in your hands. These future-toys can do math, play music, and talk to their friends, too. Is this the next thing in hands-on learning? Talk by David Merrill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/could-a-saturn-moon-harbor-life-carolyn-porcoCarolyn Porco shares exciting new findings from the Cassini spacecraft's recent sweep of one of Saturn's moons, Enceladus. Samples gathered from the moon's icy geysers hint that an ocean under its surface could harbor life. Talk by Carolyn Porco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the unique characteristics that make fungi so resilient, and find out why they may be the key to future space travel.--Astronauts aboard the space station Mir made a frightening discovery: several species of Earth-derived fungi were found growing throughout the shuttle, blanketing air conditioners and corroding control panels, putting both the station’s integrity and their lives at risk. H...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mapping-the-world-with-twitter-jer-thorpGood morning, Twitter! Millions of tweets are sent everyday, and from these tweets, we can gather a lot of information about people's lives: where they travel, when they wake up, and their opinions on pretty much everything. In this TEDYouth 2012 Talk, former New York Times data artist-in-residence Jer Thorp imagin...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/toward-a-science-of-simplicity-george-whitesidesSimplicity: We know it when we see it -- but what is it, exactly? In this funny, philosophical talk, George Whitesides chisels out an answer. Talk by George Whitesides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dig into how Alzheimer’s disease affects your brain and cognitive abilities, and what makes the disorder so hard to treat.--Around the world, millions of people have Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and other cognitive abilities. While doctors have studied Alzheimer’s for decades, conducting hundreds of clinical trials, there is still no...

Can you win a game of quantum foosball— using a giant electron instead of a ball? Explore how to use quantum mechanics to your advantage. --After a long day working on the particle accelerator, you and your friends head to the arcade to unwind. The lights go out for a second, and when they come back, there before you gleams a foosball table. Always game, you insert your coins. And quantum foosball...

Explore the complex anatomy of the elbow, and find out why hitting your funny bone causes such an odd and painful sensation.--It's something we've all experienced: the back of your elbow smacks against a hard surface and the impact sends a sensation so distinctly disquieting shooting down your arm that it takes several moments to regain composure. So, why does hitting this spot on your elbow— comm...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/football-physics-scalars-and-vectors-michelle-buchananAn unbelievable play on an American Football field is the perfect backdrop for understanding crucial physics concepts. Michelle Buchanan goes play-by-play on the vectors, the scalars, and the glory of a downright scientific touchdown. Lesson by Michelle Buchanan, animation by TED-Ed. Learn more about...

Trace the rise and fall of the powdered wig fashion craze, from King Louis XIII to the French Revolution in the 18th century.--Wigs date at least as far back as ancient Egypt, where well-regarded hairdressers crafted them into intricate styles. And under certain ancient Roman dynasties, women’s wigs became particularly ornate. Yet it wasn’t until Louis XIII unveiled a magnificent mane in the 17th...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-adults-can-learn-from-kids-adora-svitakChild prodigy Adora Svitak says the world needs "childish" thinking: bold ideas, wild creativity and especially optimism. Kids' big dreams deserve high expectations, she says, starting with grownups' willingness to learn from children as much as to teach. Talk by Adora Svitak. Learn more about your ad choices....

Uncover the oil industry’s decades-long campaign to discredit climate change science regarding the danger of fossil fuels.--Throughout the 1980s, oil industry reps discussed the dangers of burning fossil fuels, acknowledging the risk their product posed to the future of humanity. However, instead of warning the public or pivoting towards renewable energy sources, they doubled down on oil — and lau...

The world is becoming increasingly open, and that has implications both bright and dangerous. Marc Goodman paints a portrait of a grave future, in which technology's rapid development could allow crime to take a turn for the worse. Talk by Marc Goodman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can electric cars reclaim their place on the road? Discover how developments in battery technology are making these cars more efficient and powerful.--By the end of the 19th century, nearly 40% of American cars were electric. But these vehicles had a few major problems — early car batteries were expensive and inefficient, and the vehicles were twice the price of a gas-powered car. And so for the n...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/distorting-madonna-in-medieval-art-james-earleAfter Rome was destroyed, people were wary of attachment to physical beauty. As Christianity gained traction, Romans instead began to focus on the metaphysical beauty of virtue, and art began to follow suit. James Earle discusses how Medieval paintings of Madonna were affected by this shift. Lesson by James E...

Imagine it's late 1990, and you've just met a nice young man named Tim Berners-Lee, who starts telling you about his proposed system called the World Wide Web. Ian Ritchie was there. And ... he didn't buy it. A short story about information, connectivity and learning from mistakes. Talk by Ian Ritchie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more at https://brilliant.org/TedEd--Within the periodic table loom many potential hazardous elements. Some elements are dangerous due to their toxicity. Others are dangerous because of how they respond, react, or even explode in the outside environment. And perhaps the most threatening elements are those that silently emit energy. So, which substances on the periodic table are the most dang...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/inventing-the-american-presidency-kenneth-c-davisWhen the founders of the United States gathered to create the foundations of the country, they decided on three branches of government, with a president central to the executive branch. Kenneth C. Davis explains why this decision was not necessarily inevitable and what variables were up for debate. Lesson...

Explore the science of how certain HPVs can cause warts, and what you should do if you get one of these bumpy skin growths.--Throughout history, people have attributed warts to contact with things like sea foam, boiled egg water, and, of course, toads. Fortunately, we now know that warts are not caused by toads, but are actually caused by human papillomaviruses, or HPVs. So, how exactly do HPVs le...

Download a free audiobook version of “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring“ and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--The dwarves were master craftspeople. One dwarf, Andvari, forged marvelous creations. He often took the form of a fish and, one day, he swam to the land of the water nymphs, who guarded mounds of gold. When the nymphs laughed at his appear...

Dive into Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” and explore life’s greatest mystery: what happens when you die?--Death, a kindly gentleman riding in a horse carriage, comes to collect a woman for her journey to the afterlife. So begins Emily Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death,” an exploration of both the uncertainties of death and its inevitability. Dive into one...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/let-s-simplify-legal-jargon-alan-siegelTax forms, credit agreements, healthcare legislation: They're crammed with gobbledygook, says Alan Siegel, and incomprehensibly long. He calls for a simple, sensible redesign -- and plain English -- to make legal paperwork intelligible to the rest of us. Talk by Alan Siegel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...