TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Hidden Power of Smiling
Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live- and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being?...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: 3 Things I Learned While My Plane Crashed
Ric Elias had a front-row seat on Flight 1549, the plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River in New York in January 2009. What went through his mind as the doomed plane went down? At TED, he tells his story publicly for the first time....
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Pattern Behind Self Deception
Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things- from alien abductions to dowsing rods- boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills. He explains what they are and how they get us into...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Was Leonardo Da Vinci Dyslexic?
Leonardo da Vinci: Coder, lefty, dyslexic, or just plain genius? One thing is true- he has mystified experts and captured the attention of millions throughout the years. Take this lesson to dig deeper into the complexities of the life of...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
This lesson illustrates the hidden truths behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace. You'll be surprised, no doubt- but watch out! You might find that your motivations are misplaced. [10:48]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: What Is Deja Vu? What Is Deja Vu?
There are over 40 theories that attempt to explain the phenomenon of deja vu. Michael Molina explains how neuroimaging and cognitive psychology have narrowed down the theories that could explain that feeling you're having, again. [3:55]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Should You Trust Your First Impression?
You can't help it; sometimes, you just get a bad feeling about someone that's hard to shake. So, what's happening in your brain when you make that critical first judgment? Peter Mende-Siedlecki shares the social psychology of first...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: An Exercise in Time Perception
Why is that some experiences feel like they last forever, while others fly by? We tend to miscalculate the time it takes to engage in novel activities due to the influence of memories. Matt Danzico explains why your childhood feels like...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: What Color Is Tuesday? Exploring Synesthesia
How does one experience synesthesia- the neurological trait that combines two or more senses? Synesthetes may taste the number 9 or attach a color to each day of the week. Richard E. Cytowic explains the fascinating world of entangled...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are
Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how power posing- standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don't feel confident- can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain
Why do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups? Cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically "teenage"...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Looks Aren't Everything. Believe Me, I'm a Model
Cameron Russell admits she won a genetic lottery: she's tall, pretty and an underwear model. But don't judge her by her looks. In this fearless talk, she takes a wry look at the industry that had her looking highly seductive at barely...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Pros and Cons of Public Opinion Polls
How do public opinion polls work? And, more importantly, are they accurate? Jason Robert Jaffe reveals the complexities and biases of polls and provides tips on how to think about polls as we make everyday decisions. [4:25]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How to Start a Movement
Leaders aren't simply the first people to do something. Sometimes, they are the first followers. Derek Sivers explains how movements get started and take shape. What lessons can you learn from crazy dancing guys? [5:42]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How Do You Know Whom to Trust?
We believe a lot of things because we've been told- from our personal acquaintances and also experts. With so many belief systems being passed to us, how do we know whom to trust? Using contemporary examples, Ram Neta explains when...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Pavlovian Reactions Aren't Just for Dogs
Benjamin N. Witts sketches a few situations in which people are conditioned to react in a Pavlovian way, from dating to parenting. [3:54]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Leaders and Followers: What Tango Teaches
This lesson illustrates the symbiotic relationship that exists between leaders and followers. So much time and emphasis is spent building leadership muscles that sometimes we forget followership skills are as equally important to...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Networking for the Networking Averse
Networking can seem so hard- but not if you have the right advice. Lisa Green Chau outlines how being proactive and always saying yes can lead to future opportunities. [3:30]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Want to Be Happier? Stay in the Moment
When are humans most happy? To gather data on this question, Matt Killingsworth built an app, Track Your Happiness, that let people report their feelings in real time. Among the surprising results: We're often happiest when we're lost in...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Why Do We See Illusions?
Why can't our extremely complex eyes render simple optical illusions? Surprise, surprise- it comes back to the brain, which has only evolved to encounter natural stimuli. Mark Changizi explains how the brain reckons with optical...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Social Animal
Tapping into the findings of his latest book, NYTimes columnist David Brooks unpacks new insights into human nature from the cognitive sciences- insights with massive implications for economics and politics as well as our own...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Difference Between Classical and Operant Conditioning
Peggy Andover explains how the brain can associate unrelated stimuli and responses, proved by Ivan Pavlov's famous 1890 experiments, and how reinforcement and punishment can result in changed behavior. [4:13]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Importance of Focus
How might focus help you succeed? Using examples of famous people from disparate fields, such as James Cameron, Quincy Jones, and Larry Page, Richard St. John suggests why focus is one of eight traits common in successful people. [5:54]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds
Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works- sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs...