From TED Ed. Explore 3 strategies to control the flow of lava, and how scientists are using them to protect communities from future eruptions. — In December 2023, Icelandic citizens experienced their worst nightmare: a volcanic fissure opened and began spewing lava fountains 100 meters tall. While the molten rock narrowly avoided a small town,…

From TED Ed. Learn more at https://brilliant.org/TedEd — Scanning the crime scene, Officer Stone sees a disorderly room, visible red-brown stains and a partial shoe track— all hinting at a bloody struggle. After calling in a team to inspect, photograph, sketch, measure, and collect all the evidence, the investigators apply Luminol. So, what is Luminol…

From TED Ed. Dig into how the simple game of peek-a-boo contributes to babies developing their cognitive, motor, and social skills. — In Italy, it’s called il gioco del cucù. Palestinians say ba’ ‘éno. And in Japan, it’s inaīnaibā! Peek-a-boo is a near universal source of laughter and connection for infants and adults— it’s the…

From TED Ed. Take a look at 3 English language grammar rules to find out where they come from and if you actually need to follow them. — Grammatical rules have caused heated debate in various regions and languages for centuries. But while we know people take grammar seriously, what’s less clear is, why? Where…

From TED Ed. Singer, songwriter, and producer Breland shares insights into the creative process of songwriting and how to build your skills. — "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,…

From TED Ed. Get to know Jin Yong’s “Legend of the Condor Heroes,” an epic tale of adventure and war, romance, brotherhood and betrayal. — In the 1950s, citizens flocked to newsstands to pick up the latest edition of a story set hundreds of years in the past — a multigenerational tale of adventure and…

From TED Ed. Explore the cognitive benefits of risky play and how we can design better playgrounds that promote fun, agency, and development. — The best play environments offer freedom and novelty that kids can explore as much or as little as they like. But traditional playgrounds don’t offer much flexibility— swings, slides, and climbing…

From TED Ed. Explore the cognitive benefits of risky play and how we can design better playgrounds that promote fun, agency, and development. — The best play environments offer freedom and novelty that kids can explore as much or as little as they like. But traditional playgrounds don’t offer much flexibility— swings, slides, and climbing…

From TED Ed. Get to know Auguste Rodin’s infamous sculpture “The Thinker,” and find out who was the inspiration for this masterpiece. — Contrary to popular belief, "The Thinker" sculpture isn’t just a universal symbol of eternal contemplation. French sculptor Auguste Rodin intended it to represent a specific person— and fit into a much larger…

From TED Ed. Explore the psychology behind why children invent imaginary companions and what skills they can develop through pretend play. — Amia and her friend Zelba have been inseparable for nearly a year. They share secrets, play games, and rule over imaginary kingdoms. Amia sometimes has bad ideas, and Zelba goes along with them…

From TED Ed. Explore how snakes evolved, and find out how their jaw-dropping anatomy allows them to take down prey several times their size. — Since slithering onto the scene some 150 million years ago, evolving length and limbless-ness out of their ancestral lizard forms, snakes have diversified rapidly. Their noodly bodies and flexible heads…

From TED Ed. Take a tour of the vast, underground network of the Paris Catacombs, and find out how this 18th century cemetery came to be. — For centuries, Parisians had buried their dead in the Cemetery of the Innocents. By the 18th century, the grounds had become overcrowded — spewing foul odors across the…

From TED Ed. Explore the science of silica gel, and find out why these packets are everywhere and if they’re actually dangerous to ingest. — Of the many, many things we’re not supposed to snack on, perhaps the most common forbidden food is silica gel. This tiny packet pops up in packaging for everything —…

From TED Ed. Professional songwriters share their writing process, how they collaborate with other artists, and what it takes to be a songwriter. — "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…

From TED Ed. Trace the history and evolution of beer, from its first known existence 13,000 years ago to the modern beverage we know today. — Today, there are over 100 distinct beer varieties, from pilsners and bocks, to porters, stouts, and IPAs. The oldest evidence of beer brewing dates back 13,000 years, but experts…

From TED Ed. Dig into sortition, a system where officials are selected via lottery, and how it could address the problems of modern democracies. — Elections are tools that ensure a nation’s citizens all have an equal political voice. But these so-called “great equalizers” are often plagued by corruption, partisan divides, and uninformed voters. Which…