TED-Ed

Puzzle through a classic ethical dilemma and decide: can human existence be meaningful without its creativity and culture? --Life on your planet depends entirely on Nuronium for normal cognition. Unfortunately, its source has been compromised and you are now at risk of extinction. Scientists have found an alternate energy source, Polixate, but it can’t sustain cognition and would mean the loss of...

Nothing comes easy, and behind every success are hours of plain hard work. Sounds intimidating, but Richard St. John proposes a simple shift in attitude to turn mediocre into incredible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore the possibilities and challenges of what a vegetarian world could look like if we all immediately stopped eating meat. --Imagine if a wizard of meatless dining suddenly appeared on Earth and with one wave of a wand wiped away all meat from our shelves— along with any desire to eat it. Farm animals destined for food vanish, whisked away to another planet. What happens in the following days,...

Jason Fried has a radical theory of working: that the office isn't a good place to do it. In his talk, he lays out the main problems (call them the M&Ms) and offers three suggestions to make work work. (Filmed at TEDxMidWest.)Talk by Jason Fried. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mysteries-of-vernacular-noise-jessica-oreckThe words noise, nausea, and naval all stem from the same Latin root. Jessica Oreck divulges how their spellings and meanings diverged from the original naus. Lesson and animation by Jessica Oreck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore how marine creatures survive the frigid waters of Antarctica, and what traits allow them to live in such conditions.--The vast, white surface of Antarctica stretches for over 3 million square kilometers. On the coast of this expanse, just a few meters beneath the ice, lies a remarkably diverse realm that is home to over 8,000 species of sea denizens who rely on an arsenal of otherworldly t...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mysteries-of-vernacular-hearse-jessica-oreckToday, we recognize the word hearse as a vehicle that carries a coffin to a funeral. Jessica Oreck explains how this word has, at various times, described a wolf, a rake, and a frame, eventually landing at its meaning today. Lesson and animation by Jessica Oreck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

Explore how the brain learns and stores information, and find out how to apply this for more effective study techniques.--A 2006 study took a class of surgical residents and split them into two groups. Each received the same study materials, but one group was told to use specific study methods. When tested a month later, this group performed significantly better than the other residents. So, what...

Explore Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem, a discovery which changed what we know about mathematical proofs and statements.--Consider the following sentence: “This statement is false.” Is that true? If so, that would make the statement false. But if it’s false, then the statement is true. This sentence creates an unsolvable paradox; if it’s not true and it’s not false– what is it? This question led a...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-call-to-invention-diy-speaker-edition-william-gurstelleThere's a pleasure in making things for yourself -- especially something unexpected. At TEDYouth 2012, William Gurstelle shows how to make your own speakers from objects probably already laying around your house, like copper wire and an empty yogurt cup. Talk by William Gurstelle. Learn more about...

Dig into the biggest problems facing our current plastic recycling process, and explore potential solutions to these systems. --If you’ve ever looked at the bottom of a disposable bottle or cup, you’ve probably noticed a recycling symbol. Seeing this, many people assume the item should be put in a recycling bin. Yet many plastics are incapable of being recycled at most centers. In fact, only 9% is...

Who hasn't sent a text message saying "I'm on my way" when it wasn't true or fudged the truth a touch in their online dating profile? But Jeff Hancock doesn't believe that the anonymity of the internet encourages dishonesty. In fact, he says the searchability and permanence of information online may even keep us honest. Talk by Jeff Hancock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...

Explore what prevents us from learning from our failures, and how to become more resilient through cultivating a growth mindset.--People often describe failure as a teachable moment— a necessary stumble on our way to improvement. But learning from our mistakes isn’t always easy, especially when those failures are demoralizing, overwhelming, or just downright confusing. So what prevents us from tur...

Thailand's "Mr. Condom," Mechai Viravaidya, walks us through the country's bold plan to raise its standard of living, starting in the 1970s. First step: population control. And that means a lot of frank, funny -- and very effective -- talk about condoms. (Filmed at TEDxChange.)Talky by Mechai Viravaidya. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/networking-for-the-networking-averse-lisa-green-chauNetworking can seem so hard -- but not if you have the right advice. Try taking advantage of weak ties; you never know what friend of a friend of a friend can aid you in your dreams. Lisa Green Chau outlines how being proactive and always saying yes can lead to future opportunities. Lesson by Lisa Green...

Download a free audiobook version of “The Song of Achilles" and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed --Achilles, just slain in the Trojan War, arrives in the Underworld and is greeted by Sibyl of Cumae— a prophetess and also the realm’s local guide. Though it gets a bad rap, Sibyl is determined to prove to the newcomer that hell is actually a lovely place to live; bur...

Discover the medieval empire of the Isle of Man and the Hebrides, and how a dynasty of sea kings rose to power.--On a small island in the Irish Sea, fortresses preside over the rugged shores. This unlikely location was the birthplace of a medieval empire that lasted 200 years. Rulers built coastal fortresses on cliffs, roved the seaways, and threw themselves into epic battles to consolidate contro...

Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share. (Filmed at TEDxHouston.)Talk by Brené Brown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/mysteries-of-vernacular-pants-jessica-oreckFrom 4th Century Roman Saint Pantaleon to the trousers we wear on our legs, Jessica Oreck details the story of the word 'pants.'Lesson and animation by Jessica Oreck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore how werewolves have evolved in folklore, literature, and pop culture throughout history, and where these stories originated.--Stories of werewolves have existed for thousands of years and continue to live on today. They’re especially prominent in European literature and folklore, and often found in cultures where the wolf is the largest natural predator. Over the years its image has contin...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/who-is-alexander-von-humboldt-george-mehlerHave you heard of Alexander von Humboldt? Not likely. The geologist turned South American explorer was a bit of an 18th century super scientist, traveling over 24,000 miles to understand the relationship between nature and habitat. George Mehler details Humboldt's major accomplishments and why we should care abo...

Follow the chilling Japanese tale of Oiwa, a ghost seeking revenge after her husband poisoned her and killed her father.--Oiwa’s only hope for ending her marriage to the cruel and dishonorable samurai, Iemon, was her father. But after he tried to end the union, Iemon murdered him in cold blood. With plans to marry another, Iemon conspired to poison his wife and left her for dead. But unfortunately...

Trace a year in the life of a platypus, and explore how the animal’s unique adaptations ensure its survival.--Waddling along the parched Australian earth, a female platypus is searching for fresh water. Over the past year, a severe drought turned rivers and streams to mere trickles. She barely survived and was unable to reproduce. Could the next year bring a change in luck? Gilad Bino traces a yea...

How can you help kids get a good start? In this heartfelt and personal talk, Colin Powell, the former U.S. Secretary of State, asks parents, friends and relatives to support children from before they even get to primary school, through community and a strong sense of responsibility. (Filmed at TEDxMidAtlantic.)Talk by Colin Powell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dig into what caused the Irish potato famine, and explore how the UK government’s response turned the crisis into a catastrophe.--For over 200 years, potatoes thrived in Ireland; roughly half the country’s residents lived almost entirely on potatoes. But when harvesting began in 1845, farmers found their potatoes blackened and shriveled. While this failed harvest created a crisis, the government’s...