TED Talks
Steven Pinker: What our language habits reveal
In an exclusive preview of his book The Stuff of Thought, Steven Pinker looks at language and how it expresses what goes on in our minds -- and how the words we choose communicate much more than we realize.
TED-Ed
TED-ED: Where did English come from? - Claire Bowern
When we talk about 'English', we often think of it as a single language. But what do the dialects spoken in dozens of countries around the world have in common with each other, or with the writings of Chaucer? Claire Bowern traces the...
Crash Course
Archdukes, Cynicism, and World War I Crash Course World History
In which John Green teaches you about the war that was supposed to end all wars. Instead, it solved nothing and set the stage for the world to be back at war just a couple of decades later. As an added bonus, World War I changed the way...
TED-Ed
Demolition, disease, and death: Building the Panama Canal | Alex Gendler
In the 19th century, the California gold rush brought thousands of settlers to America's west coast. But finding gold may have been easier than transporting it back east. The only hope for avoiding a grueling six month wagon journey was...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: What can DNA tests really tell us about our ancestry?
Two sisters take the same DNA test. The results show that one sister is 10% French, the other 0%. Both sisters share the same two parents, and therefore the same set of ancestors. So how can one be 10% more French than the other? Tests...
TED Talks
Redéfinir la réussite des entreprises
Redéfinir la réussite des entreprises Le modèle économique dominant consiste à vendre toujours plus et à faire du profit. Très peu d'entreprises sont aujourd'hui prêtes à renoncer à leur croissance. Mais est-ce vraiment le modèle à...
Crash Course
World War II: Crash Course European History
Only a couple of decades after the end of the First World War--which was supposed to be the War that Ended All Wars--another, bigger, farther-flung, more destructive, and deadlier war began. Today, you'll learn about how the war in...
Crash Course
Decolonization and Nationalism Triumphant Crash Course World History
In which John Green teaches you about the post-World War II breakup of most of the European empires. As you'll remember from previous installments of Crash Course, Europeans spent several centuries sailing around the world creating...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The controversial origins of the Encyclopedia - Addison Anderson
The first encyclopedia contained 70,000 entries and over 20,000,000 words. It was broken into 35 volumes written over the course of 3 decades. It was also banned by Louis XV and Pope Clement XIII. But why was this encyclopedia so...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The first and last king of Haiti | Marlene Daut
The royal couple of Haiti rode into their coronation to thunderous applause. After receiving his ornate crown, Henry Christophe ascended his throne, towering 20 meters in the air. But little did the cheering onlookers know that the first...
Crash Course
Where US Politics Came From Crash Course US History
In which John Green teaches you where American politicians come from. In the beginning, soon after the US constitution was adopted, politics were pretty non-existent. George Washington was elected president with no opposition, everything...
Crash Course
Decolonization: Crash Course European History
After World War II, Europe was changing radically, and its place in the world was changing as well. European powers had colonized around the world in the 18th and 19th centuries, and in the 20th century, it all came crashing down. Of...
Crash Course
The Roads to World War I: Crash Course European History
Much has been written about what exactly caused World War I. As befits a true global war, the reality is that there isn't a single cause. There aren't even three causes. There are a vast array of causes. Today we'll get into just a few...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The hidden treasures of Timbuktu | Elizabeth Cox
On the edge of the vast Sahara desert, citizens snuck out of the city of Timbuktu and took to the wilderness. They buried chests in the desert sand, hid them in caves, and sealed them in secret rooms. Inside these chests was a treasure...
Crash Course
Tea, Taxes, and The American Revolution Crash Course World History
In which John Green teaches you about the American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War, which it turns out were two different things. John goes over the issues and events that precipitated rebellion in Britain's American...
Crash Course
Napoleon Bonaparte: Crash Course European History
We try not to get into too much great man history here at Crash Course, but we have to admit: Napoleon Bonaparte is a pretty big deal. Join us as we track the rise, further rise, fall, rise, fall, mortal fall, and posthumous rise of...
Crash Course
18th Century Warfare: Crash Course European History
European powers had a lot of wars in the 18th century, and they weren't confined to Europe. Conflict raged across the globe, in what might be called a World War...but we don't call it that, because we already have a couple of those...
Crash Course
World War I Battlefields: Crash Course European History
Europe's system of alliances and centuries-old tensions erupted into war in August of 1914. This week on Crash Course Euro, we're talking about the military history of World War I, and taking a look at the broad strokes of how the war...
TED Talks
TED: 4 reasons to learn a new language | John McWhorter
English is fast becoming the world's universal language, and instant translation technology is improving every year. So why bother learning a foreign language? Linguist and Columbia professor John McWhorter shares four alluring benefits...
Crash Course
How To Speak Chemistrian: Crash Course Chemistry
Learning to talk about chemistry can be like learning a foreign language, but Hank is here to help with some straightforward and simple rules to help you learn to speak Chemistrian like a native. Table of Contents Determining Formulas...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Is there any truth to the King Arthur legends? - Alan Lupack
King Arthur has risen again and again in our collective imagination, along with his retinue of knights, Guinevere, the Round Table, Camelot, and of course Excalibur. But where do these stories come from, and is there any truth to them?...
Curated Video
Decolonization and Nationalism Triumphant: Crash Course World History
In which John Green teaches you about the post-World War II breakup of most of the European empires. As you'll remember from previous installments of Crash Course, Europeans spent several centuries sailing around the world creating...
Curated Video
Tea, Taxes, and The American Revolution: Crash Course World History
In which John Green teaches you about the American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War, which it turns out were two different things. John goes over the issues and events that precipitated rebellion in Britain's American...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why should you read "Waiting for Godot"? - Iseult Gillespie
Two men, Estragon and Vladimir, meet by a tree at dusk to wait for someone named "Godot." So begins a vexing cycle where the two debate when Godot will come, why they're waiting and whether they're even at the right tree. The play offers...