TED Talks
Heidi Grant: How to ask for help -- and get a "yes"
Asking for help is tough. But to get through life, you have to do it all the time. So how do you get comfortable asking? In this actionable talk, social psychologist Heidi Grant shares four simple rules for asking for help and getting it...
TED Talks
Alexa Meade: Your body is my canvas
Alexa Meade takes an innovative approach to art. Not for her a life of sketching and stretching canvases. Instead, she selects a topic and then paints it--literally. She covers everything in a scene--people, chairs, food, you name it--in...
TED Talks
Larry Smith: Why you will fail to have a great career
In this funny and blunt talk, Larry Smith pulls no punches when he calls out the absurd excuses people invent when they fail to pursue their passions.
TED Talks
TED: When to take a stand -- and when to let it go | Ash Beckham
Ash Beckham recently found herself in a situation that made her ask: who am I? She felt pulled between two roles — as an aunt and as an advocate. Each of us feels this struggle sometimes, she says -- and offers bold suggestions for how...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: David Ian Howe: A brief history of dogs
Since their emergence over 200,000 years ago, modern humans have established communities all over the planet. But they didn't do it alone. Whatever corner of the globe you find humans in today, you're likely to find another species as...
TED Talks
Eric Whitacre: A virtual choir 2,000 voices strong
In a moving and madly viral video last year, composer Eric Whitacre led a virtual choir of singers from around the world. He talks through the creative challenges of making music powered by YouTube, and unveils the first 2 minutes of his...
SciShow
The Shapeshifting Deep Sea Jellyfish... With a "Pet"
This weird-looking creature has been mistaken for a lot of things, including a whale placenta and a sea monster as well as a garbage bag. And less often, it’s recognized for what it is: a jellyfish!
SciShow
Is It Gross to Blow out Birthday Candles
A certain viral video may have brought it to your attention that blowing out candles on a birthday cake might be gross, but exactly how gross depends on who’s blowing the candles out.
TED Talks
TED: On being wrong | Kathryn Schulz
Most of us will do anything to avoid being wrong. But what if we're wrong about that? "Wrongologist" Kathryn Schulz makes a compelling case for not just admitting but embracing our fallibility.
SciShow
Dmitri Mendeleev: Great Minds
Hank introduces us to the man behind the periodic table - the brilliant Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev.
TED Talks
TED: 3 lessons on decision-making from a poker champion | Liv Boeree
Is it better to be lucky or good? Should we trust our gut feelings or rely on probabilities and careful analysis when making important decisions? In this quick talk, professional poker player Liv Boeree shares three strategies she's...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The best way to apologize (according to science) | TED-Ed
Over the years, people have come up with some truly awful apologies. From classic non-apologies, to evasive excuses, and flimsy corporate promises, it's all too easy to give a bad apology. Good apologies generally share certain elements,...
TED Talks
Adam Savage: My obsession with objects and the stories they tell
Adam Savage talks about his fascination with the dodo bird, and how it led him on a strange and surprising double quest. It's an entertaining adventure through the mind of a creative obsessive.
TED Talks
Pico Iyer: Where is home?
More and more people worldwide are living in countries not considered their own. Writer Pico Iyer -- who himself has three or four “origins” -- meditates on the meaning of home, the joy of traveling and the serenity of standing still.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: What's the big deal with gluten? - William D. Chey
If you've been to a restaurant in the last few years, you've likely seen the words gluten-free written somewhere on the menu. But what exactly is gluten, and why can't some people process it? And why does it only seem to be a problem...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Love vs. Honor: The Irish myth of Diarmuid's betrayal | Iseult Gillespie
Gráinne, princess of Tara and bride-to-be, was furious. She had thought she was betrothed to a young soldier, bold and brilliant enough to be her equal. Yet it soon became clear she was expected to marry Fionn, a warrior far past his...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The myth of the original star-crossed lovers | Shannon Zhao
In the court of the Jade Emperor, a young princess had a special skill: she could pluck clouds from the sky and spin them into the softest robes. But her craft was the same day after day, and she longed for new inspiration. So the Queen...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The life, legacy & assassination of an African revolutionary - Lisa Janae Bacon
In 1972, Thomas Sankara was swept into the revolution seeking to wrest control of Madagascar from France’s lingering colonial rule. The protests inspired the West African native to read works by socialist leaders and seek wisdom from...
TED Talks
TED: How to tap into your awareness -- and why meditation is easier than you think | Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
Meditation asks you to slip into a state of serene presence. But why does something that sounds effortless often feel so difficult? In this lighthearted invitation, spiritual leader Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche shares three steps to help you...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The mighty mathematics of the lever - Andy Peterson and Zack Patterson
Archimedes once said "Give me a place to stand, and I shall move the Earth." While the idea of a person moving such a huge mass on their own might sound impossible, chances are you've seen this idea in action at your local playground....
TED Talks
How theater weathers wars, outlasts empires and survives pandemics | Cara Greene Epstein
When catastrophe strikes, art prevails -- and has done so for centuries. In this fascinating talk, writer and director Cara Greene Epstein places the closing of theaters during the coronavirus pandemic in a historical context, exploring...
TED Talks
Erin McKean: Go ahead, make up new words!
In this fun, short talk from TEDYouth, lexicographer Erin McKean encourages — nay, cheerleads — her audience to create new words when the existing ones won’t quite do. She lists out 6 ways to make new words in English, from compounding...
SciShow
IDTIMWYTIM Stochasticity THATS Random
Hank helps us understand the difference between the colloquial meaning of randomness, and the scientific meaning, which is also known as stochasticity. We will learn how, in fact, randomness is surprisingly predictable.
TED Talks
TED: A political party for women's equality | Sandi Toksvig
Women's equality won't just happen -- not unless more women are put in positions of power, says Sandi Toksvig. In a disarmingly hilarious talk, Toksvig tells the story of how she helped start a new political party in Britain, the Women's...