Despite the diverse appearance and characteristics of organisms on Earth, the chemicals that make up living things are remarkably similar, often identical. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll look at the building blocks of the...

Crocodiles, and birds, and dinosaurs—oh my! While classifying organisms is nothing new, phylogeny— or, grouping organisms by their evolutionary relationships—is helping us see life in a whole new light. In this episode of Crash Course...

Humans may have been around for a long time, but life has existed for way longer. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll journey through deep time to uncover the history of life on Earth. We’ll explore the big, game-changing...

How can you tell two species apart? It’s not always simple. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll learn about speciation—a process that can happen over millions of years, or within a single generation. Along the way, we’ll...

There are lots of ways that evolution happens, and natural selection is just one of them. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll find out how this process works and shapes traits in all living things —from ginkgo trees to howler...

Whether we’re talking about tigers, trees, or tarantulas, evolution happens at the level of the population. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll find out how natural selection, gene flow, genetic drift, and other processes...

Climate change shakes up all of Earth’s systems, including the living ones. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll see how climate change’s effects rattle the entire chain of life. Changes felt in one population ripple out to...

Life on Earth has weathered boiling-hot oceans and volcanic-ash-darkened skies—but that’s nothing like the climate change we’re experiencing now. In this episode of Crash Course Biology, we’ll talk about the greenhouse effect, learn why...

When the Bald Eagle population started to decline in the mid-20th century, scientists began to ask why. Population ecology, the study of organisms of the same species, played a big role in answering that question. In this episode of...

Community ecology is the study of interactions between different species of living things, and lets ecologists examine the effects of predator-prey relationships, parasites, and mutually beneficial interactions. In this episode of Crash...

Ecology is the study of the interactions of living things with each other and their environment. It’s a field that not only lets us explore the interconnections between living things, but also how our environment affects us, and how we...

Here on Earth, life is dizzyingly diverse—but it’s also surprisingly organized. A sense of order structures life and its processes, from the tiniest cell to the total sum of every living thing. In this episode of Crash Course Biology,...

AI is transforming the way we work — could it also reshape what makes us human? In this quick and insightful talk, evolutionary anthropologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy explores how the human brain was shaped by millions of years of shared...

Do you know what you want to preserve for the next generation? asks community leader Ndinini Kimesera Sikar. Drawing on her experience growing up in a family of 38 in a traditional Maasai village in Tanzania — where every chore was...

Duncan Keegan doesn't consider himself a poet, but this deeply beautiful talk shows otherwise. With simple grace and quiet eloquence, he celebrates family, connection and togetherness, often most called for at the hardest of times.

Who do you turn to when panic strikes in the middle of the night — and can AI help? Psychologist Alison Darcy shares the vision behind Woebot, a mental health chatbot designed to support people in tough moments, especially when no one...

Jedi master of visual effects Rob Bredow, known for his work at Industrial Light & Magic and Lucasfilm, takes us on a cinematic journey through the evolution of visual effects, with behind-the-scenes stories from the making of fan...

What does it actually mean to be a "real man" these days? In a personal talk packed with actionable advice, youth advocate Davonte Green challenges age-old stereotypes about masculinity, showing that emotional intelligence and...

Technologist Tristan Harris has an urgent question: What if the way we’re deploying the world’s most powerful technology — artificial intelligence — isn’t inevitable, but a choice? In this eye-opening talk, he calls on us to learn from...

Tech innovator Avni Patel Thompson designed an app to shield busy parents from the chaos of scheduling school pickups, coordinating playdates, planning birthday parties and more — but as the product developed, something felt off. What...

AI in warfare is no longer hypothetical; it's inevitable, says Palmer Luckey, an inventor and founder of the defense technology company Anduril Industries. He takes us inside the high-tech arms race to build AI-powered weapons, "killer...

Andy Laats had the textbook fairytale family setup ... a great job, a happy marriage, three wonderful kids and everything going for them. Until one day, they didn't anymore. In this tender, wise and unexpectedly funny talk, Laats...

Hope isn’t just a feeling, but a skill you can practice, explains climate activist Xiye Bastida. Taking cues from the resilience of nature, she shows why trusting Indigenous leaders who’ve protected the planet for generations can help...

If you can't respect the basic fundamental underlying principles with which we order society — which is 'Do not steal' — then what are you left with? asks investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr. Following her TED2025 talk, Cadwalladr...