TED-Ed

Explore how a toxin-producing bacterium causes tetanus, and how to identify its common symptoms and best prevention practices.--In the 5th century, a ship master was suffering from a nasty infection that caused his jaws to press together, his teeth to lock up, and the muscles in his neck and spine to spasm. Today we know this account to be one the first recorded cases of tetanus. So, what causes t...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/science-can-answer-moral-questions-sam-harrisQuestions of good and evil, right and wrong are commonly thought unanswerable by science. But Sam Harris argues that science can -- and should -- be an authority on moral issues, shaping human values and setting out what constitutes a good life. Talk by Sam Harris. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

Explore the chemistry behind what makes kevlar so strong, and how this essential synthetic fiber was invented.--By 1975, Richard Davis had been shot at close range 192 times. But not only was he completely healthy, each of those bullets were part of a demonstration to sell his new product: the bulletproof vest. So, how does such a light, flexible piece of clothing stop a bullet? The secret was a s...

"Babies and young children are like the R&D division of the human species," says psychologist Alison Gopnik. Her research explores the sophisticated intelligence-gathering and decision-making that babies are really doing when they play. Talk by Alison Gopnik. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, researcher Mina Bissell pursued a revolutionary idea -- that a cancer cell doesn't automatically become a tumor, but rather, depends on surrounding cells (its microenvironment) for cues on how to develop. She shares the two key experiments that proved the prevailing wisdom about cancer growth was wrong. Talk by Mina Bissell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-i-fell-in-love-with-a-fish-dan-barberChef Dan Barber squares off with a dilemma facing many chefs today: how to keep fish on the menu. With impeccable research and deadpan humor, he chronicles his pursuit of a sustainable fish he could love and the foodie's honeymoon he's enjoyed since discovering an outrageously delicious fish raised using a revolut...

Dig into what makes whale poop so vitally important to ocean health, and how it helps support countless other marine life forms.--Whales frequently surface to take in air and let out massive plumes of waste. And while this slurry might seem disgusting, whale poop is much more desirable than it may seem. In fact, it may be one of the most important substances in the ocean — and the world. So, what...

Explore what happened when the AI system Deep Q Networks (DQN) attempted to beat the Atari game Montezuma’s Revenge.--In 2013, a group of researchers wanted to create an AI system that could beat every Atari game. They developed a system called Deep Q Networks (DQN) and less than two years later, it was superhuman. But there was one notable exception. When playing Montezuma’s Revenge, DQN couldn’t...

Explore ridiculous ancient theories of bird migration and discover how scientists finally solved one of the field's oldest mysteries.--In 1822, Count von Bothmer shot down a stork in Germany. However, the bird had already been impaled by a yard-long wooden spear. The stork had been speared in Africa and then flew over 2,500 km. This astonishing flight proved to be an essential clue in a mystery th...

In 2000, the UN laid out 8 goals to make the world better by reducing poverty and disease -- with a deadline of 2015. As that deadline approaches, Jamie Drummond of ONE.org runs down the surprising successes of the 8 Millennium Development Goals, and suggests a crowdsourced reboot for the next 15 years. Talk by Jamie Drummond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover what causes desert locusts to transform into crop-consuming plagues and how they directly endanger humanity.--A ravenous swarm stretches as far as the eye can see. It has no leader or strategic plan; its only goals are to eat, breed, and move on. These are desert locusts— infamous for their capacity for destruction. But most of the time desert locusts are no more dangerous than grasshoppe...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/if-superpowers-were-real-super-strength-joy-linWhat if super strength wasn't just the stuff of epic comic book stories? Is it scientifically possible to be super strong? In this series, Joy Lin tackles six superpowers and reveals just how scientifically realistic they can be to us mere mortals. Lesson by Joy Lin, animation by Cognitive Media. Learn more...

Dig into the science of what causes snoring, and how chronic snoring can be a sign of sleep disorders such as sleep apnea.--A leather mask that clamps the mouth shut. A cannonball sewn into a soldier’s uniform. A machine that delivers sudden electrical pulses. These were all treatments for a problem that has haunted humanity for millennia: snoring. It might seem harmless, but snoring can be a sign...

Conductor Charles Hazlewood talks about the role of trust in musical leadership -- then shows how it works, as he conducts the Scottish Ensemble onstage. He also shares clips from two musical projects: the opera "U-Carmen eKhayelitsha" and the ParaOrchestra. Talk by Charles Hazlewood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/if-superpowers-were-real-super-speed-joy-linWhat if super speed wasn't just the stuff of epic comic book stories? Is it scientifically possible to be super speedy? In this series, Joy Lin tackles six superpowers and reveals just how scientifically realistic they can be to us mere mortals. Lesson by Joy Lin, animation by Cognitive Media. Learn more about...

Dive into the Maya myth of twins Junajpu and Ixb’alanke as they descend into the underworld to play the gods in a ballgame.--One day, twin brothers Junajpu and Ixb’alanke discovered their father’s hidden ballgame equipment and began to play. Hearing their vigorous game, the lords of the underworld sent a messenger to challenge the boys to a match. Despite the danger, the twins nevertheless answere...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/fresh-water-scarcity-an-introduction-to-the-problem-christiana-z-peppardFresh water is essential for life -- and there's not nearly enough of it for the world right now. Why is that, and what could we do? Christiana Z. Peppard lays out the big questions of our global water problem. And no, shorter showers are not the answer. Lesson by Christiana Z. Peppa...

Explore the famous depictions of the tale of Laocoön, who the gods punished for warning the Trojans about the Greeks' wooden horse.--Laocoön, a seer and priest, was deeply suspicious of the enormous wooden horse that the Greeks left in Troy and cautioned the Trojans not to accept this strange offering. But their fate was already sealed — the gods granted the Greeks victory and punished the priest...

Discover Jan van Eyck’s masterpiece, the Ghent Altarpiece, and explore how it became the world’s most stolen artwork.--Throughout six centuries, the Ghent Altarpiece, also called “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb,” has been burned, forged, and raided in three different wars. It is, in fact, the world’s most stolen artwork— and is considered one of the most influential paintings ever made. What exa...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/if-superpowers-were-real-flight-joy-linWhat if human flight wasn't just the stuff of epic comic book stories? Is it scientifically possible to fly? In this series, Joy Lin tackles six superpowers and reveals just how scientifically realistic they can be to us mere mortals. Lesson by Joy Lin, animation by Cognitive Media. Learn more about your ad choices....

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/inside-okcupid-the-math-of-online-dating-christian-rudderWhen two people join a dating website, they are matched according to shared interests and how they answer a number of personal questions. But how do sites calculate the likelihood of a successful relationship? Christian Rudder, one of the founders of popular dating site OKCupid, details the algorit...

Get to know the Dagara tale of Yagangnaa, a boy who defied a tyrannical chief, and witness their ensuing battle of wits.--Shock seized the West African Dagara village as word travelled of a new decree. Completely disregarding time-honored naming rituals, the tyrannical chief declared that he alone would name the village’s children. But soon an unlikely challenger appeared: Yagangnaa, the boy who n...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/where-we-get-our-fresh-water-christiana-z-peppardFresh water accounts for only 2.5% of Earth's water, yet it is vital for human civilization. What are our sources of fresh water? In the first of a two part series on fresh water, Christiana Z. Peppard breaks the numbers down and discusses who is using it and to what ends. Lesson by Christiana Z. Peppard,...

Less than 10% of plastic trash is recycled -- compared to almost 90% of metals -- because of the massively complicated problem of finding and sorting the different kinds. Frustrated by this waste, Mike Biddle has developed a cheap and incredibly energy efficient plant that can, and does, recycle any kind of plastic. Read Mike's responses to questions about this talk. Talk by Mike Biddle. Learn mor...

Download a free audiobook version of “Red Rising” and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--Imagine a scientist who has teleported to space. His spacesuit’s pressurized air protects his bodily fluids from vaporization, its oxygen tank keeps him breathing, and the insulation prevents him from freezing. But although these features thwart an immediate tragedy, space is s...