In which Stan Muller subs for John Green and teaches you about energy and humanity. Today we discuss the ideas put forth by Alfred Crosby in his book, Children of the Sun. Historically, almost all of the energy that humans use has been...

In which John Green teaches you about the Holy Roman Empire by teaching you about Charles V. Charles Hapsburg was the holy Roman Emperor, but he was also the King of Spain. And the King of Germany. And the King of Italy and the Lord of...

The Protestant Reformation didn't exactly begin with Martin Luther, and it didn't end with him either. Reformers and monarchs changed the ways that religious and state power were organized throughout the 16th and early 17th centuries....

Millions of Americans are expected to go on a European vacation this summer. Many of those going for the first time are likely to be following the advice of travel writer Rick Steves, host of “Rick Steves’ Europe” on PBS stations. John...

In 2014, the world’s second largest coal consumer made a bold promise: to increase its solar capacity from three gigawatts to 100 gigawatts in just eight years. Many people called it overly ambitious, but energy expert Kanika Chawla saw...

When ITER's tokamak finally comes online (as of July 2024, that's 2034 for its first round of research, and 2039 for deuterium-tritium fusion), it will become the world's biggest fusion reactor. But don't hold your breath for a green...

Correction: This is Watt's law, not Ohm's law! Our math was right but our name was wrong.



We need green energy yesterday. And it so happens that nature regularly sends huge bolts of electricity at us out of the sky. So what...

From the Great Pyramid at Giza, to one-quarter of the Netherlands, to continent-spanning electrical grids, humans are great at making really BIG things.<b<br/>r/>

Hosted by: @NotesByNiba (she/her)

Biology connects all of life—all of YOUR life. In the final episode of Crash Course Biology, Dr. Sammy is taking your questions. No matter how big, small, or personal, biology is in them all! He’ll show us how biology can help us solve...

What if the polarizing mess of social media, clickbait headlines and addictive algorithms isn't a breakdown of media but a transition to something better? Substack cofounder Hamish McKenzie explores how independent creators are growing a...

Software engineer Adam Munder is on a mission to break down communication barriers between the Deaf and hearing worlds. In a live demo, he introduces OmniBridge — an AI platform that translates American Sign Language into English text in...

How can the lessons of the past help us navigate the turbulence of the present and future? Social philosopher Roman Krznaric explores why history isn’t just a record of what’s gone wrong — it’s also full of solutions, resilience and...

How prevalent is solar power, really? According to researcher Jenny Chase, it's already displacing fossil fuels in key energy markets around the world. She explains the rise of affordable solar power and dives into how her team tracked...

Actor and writer Natasha Rothwell takes the stage for “On the Spot,” TED’s rapid-fire Q&A format. Answering a stream of unexpected questions, she dishes on everything from creativity and representation in TV to love, the first “pinch me”...

Amir Nizar Zuabi and Kristine McDivitt Tompkins discuss the power of art and conservation in addressing global challenges. Zuabi reflects on his projects, including the moving puppet Amal and "The Herds," which use beauty and...

Sergeant-Major Morris regaled his friends with epic tales from faraway lands— until one asked about an artifact the Sergeant had alluded to. Slowly, he produced the object: a mummified monkey’s paw. He explained that a holy man had...

How can everyday people help foster and protect democracy? Detailing her work fighting for people power as an activist in Madagascar, Ketakandriana Rafitoson discusses how citizen assemblies — meetings where ordinary citizens get...

New possibilities for storytelling are emerging faster than at any other time in history, says film producer Mark Grimmer. With an immersive approach to art exhibitions, he shares several multidisciplinary projects — including a...

Dana R. Fisher calls herself an "apocalyptic optimist" based on her research as a sociologist of large social movements. Her studies suggest that ever-increasing climate disasters will get people out in the streets demanding the action...

When wildfires rage in California, incarcerated people are often on the front lines fighting the flames. TED Fellow Royal Ramey was one of them. He shares the story of how doing public service in prison inspired him to cofound the...

The answer to this question has everything to do with drag & kinetic energy vs momentum change (thrust) ie, a bigger engine fan allows for a larger air mass to be accelerated a smaller amount to give the same thrust as you'd get from a...

Which is the most intense Olympic throwing event? Shot put? Hammer? Discus? Javelin?

President and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media Ian Bremmer discusses the potential for emerging leaders in American politics who can build bridges, citing a few modern figures as examples. While he acknowledges a new generation...

"I'm not a pacifist, but in the end, war is the greatest human rights abuse and does not make the world safer," says Gabrielle Rifkind, director of the Oxford Process, an organization dedicated to ending armed conflict. She shares how...