[ted id=1563 width=560 height=315] Teenagers can sometimes feel like a different species. According to neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who gave this fascinating talk at TEDGlobal 2012, this isn’t a coincidence. While 15 years ago it was assumed that brain development was completed in childhood, scientists now know that the brain continues to develop through a person’s […]
Ever want to play with genes? Synthetic biologist Oliver Medvedik thinks anyone should be able to access a biology lab and tinker with the stuff of life. That’s why he co-founded Genspace, the world’s first fully equipped community biolab, where citizen scientists of all stripes meet to explore, experiment and learn about genetic engineering. What […]
Astronomer Jill Tarter wants us all to ask the question, “Are we alone?” As director of the SETI Institute (it stands for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), Tarter is dedicated to seeking the answer, as well as to imparting upon one and all the importance of the search. In 2009, Tarter was awarded the prestigious […]
Some TED Talks are memorable for their big, overarching themes. Others we remember for the small details — a random anecdote, the speaker’s facial hair. The anthropologist who swallowed a sword? The talk with huge photos of people’s faces everywhere? The famous writer who runs into the house to write down an idea before it’s lost forever? Because of […]
[ted id=1040] Enjoy these fascinating reads from across the Internet: Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, who gave the talk “Why we have too few women leaders” at TEDWomen 2010, has revealed that she is working on a book based on the ideas expressed in the talk. Titled Lean In, the tome is a call to action […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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, […]
Nominations for the TED Prize are open from now until August 31st. Meaning that there’s still time to nominate a great thinker you’ve always admired, a mentor who’s helped you along the way or a friend with a wonderful idea to inspire change around the world. This year, you can even nominate yourself for the $1 […]
Enjoy these fascinating reads from across the internet: What can the healthcare system learn from chain restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory, Pizza Hut and Red Lobster? Atul Gawande explores. [New Yorker] Watch Atul’s brilliant talk from TED2012, “How do we heal medicine?” . In 2009, American students ranked 23rd in the world in science and […]
Did you know that you — as in, anyone — can nominate a visionary leader for this year’s TED Prize? Do you have a mentor with an incredible track record? A former teacher with a big idea for change? A colleague doing incredible work that could reach new heights if given more resources? A friend […]
Marc Goodman studies how to prevent future crimes — not in the Minority Report sense, but by thinking about the ways that current and imagined technologies could be used to commit crimes. At TEDGlobal 2012 he gave a talk on some of the ways this could play out — showing examples of how drug cartels […]
[ted id=189] What’s the first TED Talk that made director of content Kelly Stoetzel cry? In a new interview on the website Womenetics, Stoetzel reveals the first TED speaker who got her choked up — surgeon Sherwin Nuland, who spoke at TED2001. “[Nuland] made himself really vulnerable on the stage. He talked about something that […]
In 1975, economist and musician José Abreu founded El Sistema (“The System”), a classical music education plan for kids in Venezuela. Over the years, El Sistema has grown into a powerhouse in Venezuela, and today comprises more than 150 youth and 70 children’s orchestras. It’s estimated that more than 310,000 children currently play an instrument […]
Much ado has been made in recent years over the quickly rising cost of healthcare in the United States. But the cost of college tuition and fees has skyrocketed at nearly twice that rate. Going to college today will cost a student 559% more than it did in 1985, on average. In an exciting talk […]