“Being on a voyage forces you to unplug,” says TED Fellow and third-generation captain Lehua Kamalu. Sharing ancient knowledge from traditional Hawaiian ocean voyaging, she reflects on the transformational power of seafaring journeys —...

Thanks to the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and NASA's James Webb Space Telescope for supporting this video! In particular, thanks to Dan Coe of STScI for taking the time to chat with me about what we do and don't know about...

Open Letter to the President - Physics Education

It's leap year time... so what are years, anyway? And what do they have to do with the supermassive black hole in the core of the milky way?

What is the maximum height for a mountain on Earth!? And why?

A technology to ignore birds on radar ended up being useful to study and conserve them.

Why is it Hot Underground

Which Bear Is Best?

As authoritarian leaders challenge democratic institutions around the world, some people are questioning whether democracy is even the best political system. In a wide-ranging conversation, writer Bret Stephens and social entrepreneur...

In the millions of years since oxygen began saturating Earth’s oceans and atmosphere, most organisms have evolved to rely on this gas. However, there are some places where oxygen-averse microorganisms like those from Earth’s earliest...

A couple has been considering getting engaged, but they’re worried about divorce statistics. An AI-based model was just released that can predict your likelihood of divorce with 95% accuracy. The only catch is the model doesn’t offer any...

The way we raise animals is destructive to humans, animals and the environment, says cardiologist and entrepreneur Uma Valeti. He presents a solution that doesn't require you to give up your favorite protein-packed meals: cultivated...

How will AI improve our lives in the years to come? From its inception six decades ago to its recent exponential growth, futurist Ray Kurzweil highlights AI's transformative impact on various fields and explains his prediction for the...

For AI to achieve its full potential, non-experts need to contribute to its development, says Rumman Chowdhury, CEO and cofounder of Humane Intelligence. She shares how the right-to-repair movement of consumer electronics provides a...

In an unflinching look at issues that widen the political divide in the US, journalist and editor Bari Weiss highlights why courage is the most important virtue in today's polarized world. She shares examples of people who have spoken up...

In a scorching talk, marketing professor and podcaster Scott Galloway dissects the data showing that, by many measures, young people in the US are worse off financially than ever before. He unpacks the root causes and effects of this...

In an exclusive preview of unreleased technology, designer and inventor Jason Rugolo unveils an entirely new kind of computer you can talk to like a friend. This "audio computer" — which can augment the sounds around you, translate...

The electoral system in the United States needs a redesign, says political reformer Andrew Yang. Exposing the flaws of a system built on poor incentives, he proposes a cost-effective overhaul inspired by primary elections already working...

When it comes to climate, what are we doing right and where should we focus our efforts next? Systems innovator Ryan Panchadsaram and strategist Anjali Grover talk with TED science curator David Biello about the latest on the world's...

How much should we invest in teachers, and what should new investment actually involve? Education innovator Randy Seriguchi Jr. suggests the US should create a "G.I. Bill" for teachers, with a particular emphasis on uplifting Black male...

When filmmaker Desiree Akhavan told her Iranian immigrant parents she was in love with a woman, she knew they would object. She explains why it's worth the risk to let people get to know the real you.

In the beginning of the universe, all was darkness — until the first organisms developed sight, which ushered in an explosion of life, learning and progress. AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li says a similar moment is about to happen for computers...

Democracy may be an abstract concept, but it holds the very essence of our autonomy and humanity, says lawyer and human rights advocate Fatma Karume. Sharing her journey navigating a tumultuous political transition in Tanzania that put...

There are several ways the world could end, and scientists have given a lot of thought to what the last living thing will be.