TED-Ed

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/questioning-the-universe-stephen-hawkingIn keeping with the theme of TED2008, professor Stephen Hawking asks some Big Questions about our universe -- How did the universe begin? How did life begin? Are we alone? -- and discusses how we might go about answering them. Talk by Stephen Hawking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore how to build healthy habits when it comes to making, growing, and maintaining friendships.--Friendships can change how we see and move through the world. They can boost our academic performance, help us deal with setbacks, and even improve our health. And the relationships we form in adolescence can shape our beliefs, values, and emotional growth. But making and maintaining friends isn’t a...

How do we search for alien life if it's nothing like the life that we know? Christoph Adami shows how he uses his research into artificial life -- self-replicating computer programs -- to find a signature, a 'biomarker,' that is free of our preconceptions of what life is. (Filmed at TEDxUIUC.)Talk by Christoph Adami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-aristotle-and-joshua-bell-can-teach-us-about-persuasion-conor-neill Imagine you are one of the world's greatest violin players, and you decide to conduct an experiment: play inside a subway station and see if anyone stops to appreciate when you are stripped of a concert hall and name recognition. Joshua Bell did this, and Conor Neill channels Aristo...

Discover the benefits of walking, and how this simple exercise can positively impact the health of your body and brain.--For years, Jean Béliveau walked from country to country, with the goal of circumnavigating the globe on foot. While few people have the time or desire to walk such extreme lengths, research shows that adding even a modest amount of walking to your daily routine can dramatically...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/is-there-a-center-of-the-universe-marjee-chmiel-and-trevor-owensIt's been a long road to the discovery that Earth is not the center of the Solar System, the Milky Way, or the universe; great thinkers from Aristotle to Bruno have grappled with it for millennia. But if we aren't at the center of the universe, what is? Marjee Chmiel and Trevor Owens discuss...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-to-find-the-true-face-of-leonardo-siegfried-woldhekMona Lisa is one of the best-known faces on the planet. But would you recognize an image of Leonardo da Vinci? Illustrator Siegfried Woldhek uses some thoughtful image-analysis techniques to find what he believes is the true face of Leonardo. Talk by Siegfried Woldhek. Learn more about your ad choice...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/detention-or-eco-club-choosing-your-future-juan-martinezGrowing up surrounded by gangs in South Central Los Angeles, Juan Martinez wasn't exposed to the great outdoors. One day in high school, he was given the life-changing choice between detention or Eco Club. He chose nature and has since devoted his life to getting kids back to the outdoors as a Natio...

Ada imagines how society would change if governments paid living organ donors. Should we receive compensation for our organs?--This is episode 2 of the animated series, “Ada.” This 5-episode narrative follows the young library assistant Ada as she juggles two worlds: her daily mundane reality and the future she vividly imagines for all humanity. Traveling through her visions of potential futures,...

Follow Chu Hong, a Chinese martial artist in training, as he practices his skills and competes in an archery tournament.--The year is 1030 CE. Chu Hong's best friend, Liang Gao, tells him that the local magistrate has been spotted holding a surprise archery competition in a nearby town and will arrive at their village soon. This is Hong’s chance to showcase his talents in martial arts— and secure...

Explore the early days of the Ottoman Empire, as shrewd political rulers grew the principality into an intercontinental empire. --In the late 13th century, Osman I established a small principality sandwiched between a crumbling Byzantine Empire and a weakened Sultanate of the Seljuk of Rum, in what is now Turkey. In just a few generations, this territory had outmaneuvered more powerful neighbors t...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/behind-the-great-firewall-of-china-michael-antiMichael Anti (aka Jing Zhao) has been blogging from China for 12 years. Despite the control the central government has over the Internet -- "All the servers are in Beijing" -- he says that hundreds of millions of microbloggers are in fact creating the first national public sphere in the country's history, an...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/a-plant-s-eye-view-michael-pollanWhat if human consciousness isn't the end-all be-all of Darwinism? What if we are all just pawns in corn's clever strategy game to rule the Earth? Author Michael Pollan asks us to see the world from a plant's-eye view. Talk by Michael Pollan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dig into the history of arsenic dating back to ancient civilizations, and find out why this element is known as the king of poisons.--No substance has been as constant an ally to insidious scheming as arsenic, the so-called “king of poisons.” In its chemically pure form, it isn’t much of a threat because our bodies don’t absorb it well; it’s when arsenic combines with other elements that things ge...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/conserving-our-spectacular-vulnerable-coral-reefs-joshua-drewHow do coral reef conservationists balance the environmental needs of the reefs with locals who need the reefs to survive? Joshua Drew draws on the islands of Fiji and their exemplary system of protection, called "connectivity," which also keep the needs of fishermen in mind. Lesson by Joshua D...

Dig into the tragic myth of Tristan and Princess Isolde, and how they fall in love despite her being promised to another.--After witnessing a bird carrying a single golden hair, King Mark of Cornwall declared his future bride must have equally radiant locks. The only royal matching this description was Princess Isolde of Ireland. So the king sent Tristan, his bravest knight, to extend an olive bra...

Download a free audiobook version of “Where the Crawdads Sing“ and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--Odin, the king of Asgard, was plagued by nightmares. Three fearsome figures haunted his dreams: a massive, writhing shadow; a shambling, rotting corpse; and worst of all, a monstrous beast with a deadly bite. Though their true forms were unknown to him, he could te...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-photography-connects-us-david-griffinThe photo director for National Geographic David Griffin knows the power of photography to connect us to our world. In a Talk filled with glorious images, he discusses how we all use photos to tell our stories. Talk by David Griffin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/underwater-astonishments-david-galloDavid Gallo shows jaw-dropping footage of amazing sea creatures, including a color-shifting cuttlefish, a perfectly camouflaged octopus, and a Times Square's worth of neon light displays from fish who live in the blackest depths of the ocean. Talk by David Gallo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adc...

In this passionate talk that's already caused a sensation in Mexico, Emiliano Salinas, son of former president Carlos Salinas de Gortari, confronts the current climate of violence in Mexico -- or rather, how Mexican society responds to it. He calls on ordinary citizens to move from denial and fear to peaceful, community-based action. This is the first talk posted on TED.com that was delivered in a...

Uncover the history of the lobotomy, and find out why it's considered one of the most controversial procedures of the 20th century.--In 1935, researchers found that after removing the frontal lobes of two chimps, they no longer experienced frustration or anxiety. Neurologist Egas Moniz believed that replicating this in humans could cure mental illness— leading to one of the most controversial and...

Ada imagines a life where she could have children without giving birth. Would artificial wombs give us more choice or less?--This is episode 3 of the animated series, “Ada.” This 5-episode narrative follows the young library assistant Ada as she juggles two worlds: her daily mundane reality and the future she vividly imagines for all humanity. Traveling through her visions of potential futures, Ad...

Dive into the Greek myth of Helios and Phaethon, where the Sun God allows his mortal son to drive his chariot for a day.--Every morning, Helios unleashed his golden chariot, and set out across the sky. As the Sun God transformed dawn into day, he thought of his son, Phaethon, below. To prove to Phaethon that he was truly his father, Helios decided to grant him anything he wanted. Unfortunately, wh...

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/phenology-and-nature-s-shifting-rhythms-regina-brinkerWith rapidly rising global temperatures come seasonal changes. As spring comes earlier for some plant species, there are ripple effects throughout the food web. Regina Brinker explains how phenology, or the natural cycles of plants and animals, can be affected by these changes. Lesson by Regina Brinke...

Trace the history of rats, from their emergence in Asia to how they became the most successful invasive species in the world.--Today, rats are often regarded as the most successful invasive species in the world. The most common species of rat scurried onto the scene roughly 1 to 3 million years ago in Asia. There, they craftily survived Earth’s most recent ice age, and eventually, began living aro...