The 2012 Paralympic Games are underway in London, and several TED speakers are right there on the front lines. During Wednesday night’s dazzling Opening Ceremony, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking took the stage to expound on the evening’s theme of Enlightenment. “What is it,” he asked, as the performers around him brought Big Bang imagery to life, “that […]
“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, ‘and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice, ‘without pictures or […]
As we crisscrossed the globe to find you fresh perspectives for TED2013 in our worldwide Talent Search, a common theme emerged: cultural heritage in the 21st century. The tangible, intangible and natural elements that define our ways of life touch every aspect of our existence — from language to landscapes to religion to architecture. And they […]
Grab your new backpack and sharpen your pencils. It’s back to school time, and here is my playlist of six talks about the essentials. Work your way through the classic school day, as told in TEDTalks. No finals required. [ted id=670] 1st period: Math Marcus du Sautoy: Symmetry, reality’s riddle Mathematician Marcus du Sautoy takes […]
This is the final week of nominations for the TED Prize, which means you only have three more days to nominate a person with a wish to inspire the world for the $1 million honor. Have a mentor who has molded your mind? A friend with an inspired idea? A neighbor with big plans? Tell […]
From the driest deserts to the deepest seas, the flow of water shapes our world. Cool off from the summer heat with these nine talks that explore our intimate relationship with water. [ted id=728] Romulus Whitaker: The real danger lurking in the water Romulus Whitaker shares his fascination with the remarkable reptiles that populate the […]
Why does the time we spend cramming for life’s most trying tests always escape us before our focus is shifted to battling a more complex problem? During the college years, an unforeseen dichotomy develops where rushing becomes a normal state, whether it be to register for classes or to get through your last semester. But, […]
As humans, we fail to think of ourselves as incorporated into the animal kingdom, But with these eight talks, you might see how we factor into the food chain. From extinct species, to warding off growing ones, these speakers from the 14-city TED Talent Search have seen it all, so listen to their stories of […]
These TEDTalks explore the saying, “Good things come in small packages.” A world with lifesaving microchips, the perfectly engineered foot, and vast worlds constructed on pinheads seem fantastical, but the following speakers have turned their ingenious ideas into fascinating realities. [ted id=836] Frederick Balagadde: Bio-lab on a microchip The sub-Saharan African region has suffered the […]
With summer dwindling to its last few days, it’s time to put away the beach reads and get the mind back in gear with heartier fare. Why not start with some of the amazing books written by recent TED speakers? Here, some picks. Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer Retells the tale of a forgetful […]
I’m an anthropology major gearing up for my senior year and all that comes with it — job applications, extracurricular responsibilities and my senior honors thesis. After a semester abroad, I’m looking forward to returning to the familiarity and challenges that my college, the University of Pennsylvania, presents while incorporating the new perspectives I gained […]
From now until August 31, anyone in the TED community — from speakers to fans — can nominate a leader with a wish to inspire the word for the 2013 TED Prize. To nominate a mentor, colleague, family member or friend — even yourself — visit the TED Prize nominations page for all the appropriate […]
[ted id=1336] This past Monday, swimmer Diana Nyad made her fourth attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida. Though this attempt ended when weather and jellyfish conditions took a turn for the worse, we can look back at her talk from TEDMED 2011 to understand how she — and all of us — found “grace in […]
For those of you who depend on your iPad, Android or iPhone for your daily dose of TED, get ready to hit the update button. To make your on-the-go TED experience that much more thought inspiring, we’ve made some wonderful updates to our apps. Android owners, here’s what’s new for you with version 1.1 For […]
TED is dedicated to ideas worth spreading. And that leaves many wondering exactly which ideas have been spread the most widely in the six years that TEDTalks videos have been available online. Here, a list of the 20 most-watched talks on all the platforms we track: TED.com, YouTube, iTunes, embed and download, Hulu and more, […]
In just two weeks, students will stream back to school. And while all of us know that — coincidentally — fish travel in schools, did you know that a group of hippopotami is called a bloat? We consulted with our friends of the Encyclopedia of Life to find out other animals that travel in unusually named […]