You’ll feel smarter just thinking about watching these!
From TED Ed. Dig into the system that helps scientists distinguish trees from other varieties of plants, and what characteristics make a tree. — Plants assume a variety of forms, and trees are just one of them. What makes or breaks a tree can come down to some pretty specific characteristics, based on how the…
From TED Ed. What could our future look like if we harness our technology to create a sustainable world? Take a look at the possibilities. — Faced with the realities of current crises, it’s easy to assume our world is headed in a bleak direction. But there’s good reason to be hopeful— with developments in…
From TED Ed. Follow Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, as he attempts to outwit the Buddha and escape from his clever traps and imprisonment. — After wreaking havoc across the heavens and being captured in a white-hot prison cell, the Monkey King freed himself once more and was itching for a fight. Desperate, the Jade…
From TED Ed. Dig into how the Sun and Moon are responsible for the tides on Earth, and what this force looks like on other celestial bodies. — In the 17th century, Isaac Newton offered the first gravitational explanation of tides. As he correctly identified, tides are choreographed by the motions of celestial objects, and…
From TED Ed. Explore the classic poem, “Beowulf,” which follows a heroic prince as he fights to free a kingdom from the monster Grendel. — An epic written in Old English, “Beowulf” is known for its haunting monsters, dream-like language, and paranoid perspective, where violent threats are always waiting on the fringes of society. The…
From TED Ed. Dig into the challenges of modern pastoralism, a form of agriculture where farmers guide livestock to seasonal grazing areas. — For millennia, livestock farmers strategically guided animals to seasonal grazing areas. This mobile way of life, known as pastoralism, provided them with wealth, social status, and political independence into the 20th century.…
From TED Ed. Dig into the history that inspired Shakespeare’s tragedy, “Macbeth,” and find out just how much of the play is based on real events. — Of all Shakespeare’s plays, perhaps none is stranger than “Macbeth”— a parable on power rife with supernatural elements. But according to texts from the 11th century, this tragedy…
From TED Ed. Dig into the science of enhanced rock weathering, a technology which takes carbon dioxide out of the air and stores it in rocks. — Mount Teide is one of the world’s largest active volcanoes, and there may be a way to use the basalt rock inside it to save humanity. Obviously, destroying…
From TED Ed. TED-Ed has made its first ever physical game, custom-tailored for all you puzzle and mythology lovers: Pandora’s Legacy! Play as Pandora as you try to set right the chaos that has been unleashed by Zeus’ box in a beautifully illustrated jigsaw-puzzle-escape-room game. Sign up to learn more at the link in our…
From TED Ed. Take a turn behind the wheel to discover 5 helpful and simple tips to improve your driving and build confidence in your skills. — As one of the agency’s best employees, you’ve been selected as a finalist to take on a new top-secret mission. You’ve already shown your aptitude for surveillance and…
From TED Ed. Explore how seawater desalination methods transform saltwater into potable freshwater, and what drawbacks this technology has. — Humans have been transforming seawater into potable freshwater for millennia. Today, billions of people can’t access clean drinking water, and 87 different countries are projected to be “water-scarce” by 2050. So, how can we use…
From TED Ed. Dig into what makes head lice so difficult to get rid of, and the effectiveness of our most common treatments. — For as long as humans have had lice, we’ve fought hard to get rid of them. Nit combs, the fine-tooth brushes used to remove lice and their sticky eggs, have been…
From TED Ed. Dig into the science of thermal batteries, and how this technology can generate heat more efficiently than fossil fuels. — Industrial manufacturers spend a huge amount of energy generating heat to make everyday materials and objects, like cement, steel, and paper. And since most companies use fossil fuels to reach these high…
From TED Ed. Meet the microscopic arachnids that live on your face, and find out why Demodex mites are part of the human microbiome. — Two species of Demodex mites specifically inhabit human follicles. And not just some people’s— nearly everyone is thought to host mites. One person’s face might harbor hundreds or even thousands…
From TED Ed. Dig into the Bengali tale of brothers Neelkamal and Lalkamal, two princes seeking to end the reign of demons in their kingdom. — Achinpur was on the precipice of demonic takeover. A mysterious woman beguiled the king and infiltrated the royal family. But she wasn’t human; under her beautiful façade lurked an…
From TED Ed. Ada imagines how eradicating invasive species would impact our ecosystems. Who decides which species, and how many are too many? — This is episode 5 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…
From TED Ed. Travel into a computer chip to explore how these devices are manufactured and what can be done about their environmental impact. — Globally, we produce more than a trillion computer chips every year. Which means about 20 trillion transistors are built every second— and this process is done in fewer than 500…
From TED Ed. Ada imagines what an AI librarian system could be capable of. What are the consequences of creating superintelligent AI systems? — This is episode 4 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…
From TED Ed. Learn more at https://brilliant.org/TedEd — When reading "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland," most readers visualize the queen’s croquet game play out in their heads. A few might see the scene in vivid detail. However, a small fraction of readers have a drastically different experience: within their heads, they "see" absolutely nothing. Why do…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. Dig into the psychology of how to overcome your motivational obstacles and regain focus when you feel stuck in achieving your goals. — Many of us have experienced feeling stuck. People often report feeling highly motivated at the start and end of a project, but the middle can feel untethered. It can…
From TED Ed. On Ada’s first day of her new job at the library, she imagines a post-apocalyptic future. Are we equipped to survive in such a world? — This is episode 1 of the animated series, “Ada.” This 5-episode narrative follows the young library assistant Ada as she juggles two worlds: her daily mundane…
From TED Ed. Explore the relationship between the Amazon rainforest and the rest of the planet, and what would happen if it disappeared. — As of 2022, humans have deforested 17% of the Amazon, and scientists warn that we may be approaching a tipping point. It’s like removing bricks from a house: take a few…
From TED Ed. Explore the relationship between the Amazon rainforest and the rest of the planet, and what would happen if it disappeared. — As of 2022, humans have deforested 17% of the Amazon, and scientists warn that we may be approaching a tipping point. It’s like removing bricks from a house: take a few…
From TED Ed. Dig into Moore’s Law and explore its 4 main limitations and how they could change how we are able to make progress in computing. — Moore’s Law states that every 1 to 2 years the number of transistors that can fit on a given size computer chip will double. Thanks to this…
From TED Ed. Travel into the digestive system to learn about cholesterol, and find out what the difference is between LDL and HDL cholesterol. — In 1968, the American Heart Association made an announcement that would influence people’s diets for decades: they recommended that people avoid eating more than three eggs a week. Their reasoning…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. 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,…
From TED Ed. 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…
From TED Ed. Dig into the animal kingdom’s capacity for generosity, and find out how cooperation between animals may contribute to their survival. — Charles Darwin introduced the notion of “survival of the fittest,” where the fittest animals are those who can survive long enough to produce healthy offspring. The fittest animal can also be…