TED-Ed

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-inventions-change-history-for-better-and-for-worse-kenneth-c-davisInvented in 1793, the cotton gin changed history for good and bad. By allowing one field hand to do the work of 10, it powered a new industry that brought wealth and power to the American South -- but, tragically, it also multiplied and prolonged the use of slave labor. Kenneth C. Davi...

View full lesson on ed.ted.com - http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-competitors-open-their-stores-next-to-one-another-jac-de-haanWhy are all the gas stations, cafes and restaurants in one crowded spot? As two competitive cousins vie for ice-cream-selling domination on one small beach, discover how game theory and the Nash Equilibrium inform these retail hotspots. Lesson by Jac de Haan, animation by...

Dig into the Chinese myth of Zhu Yingtai, who disguises herself as a boy in order to attend school, and her love Liang Shanbo.--Although only boys were allowed at the Confucius Academy, what Zhu Yingtai wanted was to go to school. She begged her parents to let her attend dressed as a boy and, seeing her determination and clever disguises, they finally agreed— as long as she kept her identity a sec...

Puzzle through this classic ethical dilemma and decide: should parents be able to choose genetic traits for their children?--Andre and Leslie are a deaf couple who have decided to have a child, and they’re considering using a process to ensure deafness in their child. As deaf parents, they feel they could provide better guidance to a child that would share their lived experience and grow up immers...

Dig into the science of inhalers, and find out how these devices treat common respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD.--Inhalers are mainly used to treat two conditions: asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. And there are two main types: preventative inhalers and rescue inhalers. Preventative inhalers can be used every day to control symptoms, while rescue inhalers are gre...

Learn how to spot some of the most common signs of emotional abuse and what you can do if someone is experiencing these behaviors.--Emotional abuse can be incredibly damaging, increasing a person’s chances of developing depression and anxiety. But these behaviors can be subtle and difficult to spot, both from within and outside a relationship. It also often makes people doubt their perceptions of...

Dig into the properties of sound to find out just how bad loud music is for your hearing. --After a concert, you find it difficult to hear your friend rave about the show. It sounds like they're speaking from across the room, and it’s tough to make out their voice over the ringing in your ears. But, by the next morning, the effect has mostly worn off. So what caused these symptoms? And can you go...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/sending-a-sundial-to-mars-bill-nyeBill Nye, otherwise known as The Science Guy, inherited his father's fascination with sundials. And so he campaigned to have sundials aboard the Spirit and Opportunity Mars exploration rovers. A look at how a small device reveals big implications as to our place in space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-power-of-a-great-introduction-carolyn-mohr Never underestimate the power of an intriguing start. When analyzing the literary greats like Charles Dickens and Kurt Vonnegut, be inspired by their craft and learn how to write a tantalizing introduction and strong thesis. Lesson by Carolyn Mohr, animation by Judy Korin. Learn more about your...

Drummers Tony Succar, Matt Flynn, Matt Tong, and Matt Johnson share what it takes to improve your skills and find your rhythm.--"Think Like A Musician" connects you with working musicians who want to help the music-curious and music-passionate hone and share the gift of music with the world. Part interview, part animated course, our first season "Think Like A Performer" features artists sharing th...

Dig into the history of credit cards in the United States, and how they have evolved since the 1950s into the industry we know today.--Today, credit cards are a $500 billion-a-year industry. Banks consider these lines of credit when deciding whether or not to approve loans, incentivizing customers to maintain multiple credit cards. So, how did this lending system originate? And how did they get to...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/rethinking-thinking-trevor-maberEvery day, we meet people and process our interactions--making inferences and developing beliefs about the world around us. In this lesson, Trevor Maber introduces us to the idea of a ladder of inference and a process for rethinking the way we interact. Lesson by Trevor Maber, animation by TED-Ed. Learn more about your ad...

View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-s-invisible-more-than-you-think-john-lloydGravity. The stars in day. Thoughts. The human genome. Time. Atoms. So much of what really matters in the world is impossible to see. A stunning animation of John Lloyd's classic TEDTalk from 2009, which will make you question what you actually know. Lesson by John Lloyd, animation by Cognitive...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-rise-of-human-computer-cooperation-shyam-sankarBrute computing force alone can't solve the world's problems. Data mining innovator Shyam Sankar explains why solving big problems (like catching terrorists or identifying huge hidden trends) is not a question of finding the right algorithm, but rather the right symbiotic relationship between computation...

Dig into the truffle’s unique and mysterious biology to find out what makes them so rare and the limitations of farming them.--Truffles are one of the world’s most expensive foods— in part because global demand often outstrips supply. And truffles are becoming even more rare and more expensive as deforestation and climate change shrink their suitable terrain. But why are these fungi so rare? And w...

At TEDxRotterdam, Bart Weetjens talks about his extraordinary project: training rats to sniff out land mines. He shows clips of his "hero rats" in action, and previews his work's next phase: teaching them to turn up tuberculosis in the lab. Talk by Bart Weetjens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/dissecting-botticelli-s-adoration-of-the-magi-james-earleThe scene of the three wise men offering gifts to a newborn Jesus was widely painted during the Renaissance era, so how did painter Sandro Botticelli create a version that's still well known today? James Earle describes who and what set Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi apart in the annals of art...

Follow the nighttime routine of a vampire bat as it hunts for prey, and find out how these unique creatures work together to survive.--Vampire bats are the only mammals to subsist on blood alone. Their ancient ancestors might have eaten parasites and insects off larger animals until vampire bats began feeding directly from those animals themselves. So, how do these nocturnal creatures find their s...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-does-math-guide-our-ships-at-sea-george-christophWithout math, would our seafaring ancestors ever have seen the world? Great mathematical thinkers and their revolutionary discoveries have an incredible story. Explore the beginnings of logarithms through the history of navigation, adventure and new worlds. Lesson by George Christoph, animation by the...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/making-sense-of-spelling-gina-cookeWhat can spelling tell us about relationships between words? While spelling may sometimes seem random or unexpected, this lesson illuminates how peeling back the layers of spelling helps us understand the complex history and meaningful structure of words. Lesson by Gina Cooke, animation by The Leading Sheep (http://www....

Dig into why there is so much trash orbiting Earth, and find out what could happen if the debris continues to accumulate.--There are over 131 million pieces of debris currently whipping around the planet. They range in size from a grain of sand to the size of an entire bus. These orbital debris pose a serious threat to the thousands of satellites that underpin Earth’s vital technologies. So, how c...

Explore different philosophers’ ideas on immortality and dig into their theories about the positives and negatives of eternal life.--While cleaning out your uncle’s attic you find a chest with a sparkling potion. The attached tag declares drinking this liquid will make you immortal. Your body will be frozen at its current age, and these effects would be final and irreversible. The instructions are...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/describing-the-invisible-properties-of-gas-brian-bennettHow do you explain the properties of something we can't see? See how scientists use scientific principles, such as gravity, to observe gases. This lesson explores gases and how we have come to know what we know about them. Lesson by Brian Bennett, animation by Cognitive Media. Learn more about your...

View full lesson on ed.ted.com http://ed.ted.com/lessons/jane-hirshfield-the-art-of-the-metaphorHow do metaphors help us better understand the world? And, what makes a good metaphor? Explore these questions with writers like Langston Hughes and Carl Sandburg, who have mastered the art of bringing a scene or emotion to life. Lesson by Jane Hirshfield, animation by Ben Pearce Learn more about your a...

Get to know the story of the Mirabal sisters, who led a revolution against Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. --For over 30 years, thousands of people were imprisoned, tortured, and murdered under Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Three sisters would go on to lead an underground revolution. But while their courage inspired many, it threatened the man...