TED-Ed
TED-ED: The history of chocolate - Deanna Pucciarelli
If you can't imagine life without chocolate, you're lucky you weren't born before the 16th century. Until then, chocolate only existed as a bitter, foamy drink in Mesoamerica. So how did we get from a bitter beverage to the chocolate...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The rise and fall of the Mongol Empire - Anne F. Broadbridge
Trace the rise and fall of the Mongol Empire which, under the leadership of Genghis Khan, became the largest contiguous land empire in history. -- It was the largest contiguous land empire in history— stretching from Korea to Ukraine,...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The science behind the myth: Homer's "Odyssey" - Matt Kaplan
Homer's "Odyssey" recounts the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus during his journey home from the Trojan War. Though some parts may be based on real events, the encounters with monsters, giants and magicians are considered to be...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: What did democracy really mean in Athens? - Melissa Schwartzberg
While we might consider elections to be the cornerstone of democracy, the Athenians who coined the term actually employed a lottery system to choose most of their politicians. Melissa Schwartzberg describes the ins and outs of the...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The rise and fall of the Inca empire - Gordon McEwan
It was the western hemisphere's largest empire ever, with a population of nearly 10 million subjects. Yet within 100 years of its rise in the fifteenth century, the Inca Empire would be no more. What happened? Gordon McEwan details the...
TED Talks
Juliet Brophy: How a new species of ancestors is changing our theory of human evolution
In 2013, a treasure trove of unusual fossils were uncovered in a cave in South Africa, and researchers soon realized: these were the remains of a new species of ancient humans. Paleoanthropologist Juliet Brophy takes us inside the...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The rise and fall of the Assyrian Empire - Marian H. Feldman
Before the sun never set on the British Empire; before Genghis Khan swept the steppe; before Rome extended its influence to encircle the Mediterranean Sea; there was ancient Assyria. Considered by historians to be the first true empire,...
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?...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: Everything you need to know to read Homer's "Odyssey" - Jill Dash
An encounter with a man-eating giant. A sorceress who turns men into pigs. A long-lost king taking back his throne. On their own, any of these make great stories. But each is just one episode in the "Odyssey," a 12,000-line poem spanning...
TED Talks
Wade Davis: Dreams from endangered cultures
With stunning photos and stories, National Geographic Explorer Wade Davis celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the world's indigenous cultures, which are disappearing from the planet at an alarming rate.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why should you read "Hamlet"? - Iseult Gillespie
Explore William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, “Hamlet,” a play about conspiracy, deception and the tragic consequences of indecision. -- “Who’s there?” Whispered in the dark, this question begins a tale of conspiracy, deception and...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: Rhythm in a box: The story of the cajon drum - Paul Jennings
Many modern musical instruments are complicated pieces of machinery with many moving parts. But the cajon is simply a drum and a stand and a seat all in one box. Paul Jennings explains the history behind the cajon and how it has become...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: What makes the Great Wall of China so extraordinary
The Great Wall of China is a 13,000-mile dragon of earth and stone that winds its way through the countryside of China. As it turns out, the wall's history is almost as long and serpentine as its structure. Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The incredible history of China's terracotta warriors - Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen
In 1974, farmers digging a well near their small village stumbled upon one of the most important finds in archaeological history _ vast underground chambers surrounding a Chinese emperor's tomb that contained more than 8,000 life-size...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: A day in the life of a Roman soldier - Robert Garland
The year is 15 CE, and the Roman Empire is prospering. Most of the credit will go to the emperor, but this success wouldn't have been possible without loyal soldiers like Servius Felix. Robert Garland illuminates what life was like for a...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The five major world religions - John Bellaimey
It's perfectly human to grapple with questions, like 'Where do we come from?' and 'How do I live a life of meaning?' These existential questions are central to the five major world religions -- and that's not all that connects these...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: How did Polynesian wayfinders navigate the Pacific Ocean? - Alan Tamayose and Shantell De Silva
Imagine setting sail from Hawaii in a canoe. Your target is a small island thousands of kilometers away in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - a body of water that covers more than 160 million square kilometers. For thousands of years,...
Professor Dave Explains
How Genetics Interacts with Biological Anthropology
Once the field of genetics was developed, our understanding of biology was completely transformed. How did this specifically impact the field of anthropology? From Mendel's laws to the Human Genome Project, let's learn about how our...
Infognostica
Five dietary deficiencies that cavemen didn't have...
Our modern diet is rife with specific dietary deficiencies. This explores just 5 discrepancies between our diet, and that of our primal ancestors. Fig Leaf Rag Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By...
Great Big Story
Bringing Back Cakes of Dessert Past
Valerie Gordon revives extinct desserts from iconic bakeries, bringing back the taste of the past and the joy of nostalgia.
Wonderscape
First Friends: How Dogs Paved the Path for Domestication
Explore the pivotal role of dogs as the first domesticated animals and their impact on the evolution of human society. This video highlights how the early domestication of dogs enabled humans to transition from nomadic lifestyles to...
Great Big Story
Bringing Back Cakes of Dessert Past
Valerie Gordon revives extinct desserts from iconic bakeries,bringing back the taste of the past and the joy of nostalgia.
Curated Video
What Karahan Tepe Tells Us About Ancient Civilization
Researchers in Turkey are excavating at Karahan Tepe, which is believed to be much older than Gobekli Tepe, previously considered the oldest site. Karahan Tepe, with its T-shaped obelisks and animal carvings, suggests a prehistoric site...
Curated Video
Australia's 50,000-Year-Old Superhighways
Archeologists and scientists have mapped ancient migration superhighways across Australia, which were used around 50,000 to 70,000 years ago by the first people to populate the land. These pathways remarkably align with modern highways,...