TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How did ancient civilizations make ice cream? | Vivian Jiang
Ice cream has a unique role in our world’s history, culture, and cravings. The first accounts of cold desserts date back to the first century, in civilizations including ancient Rome, Mughal India, and Tang Dynasty China. Yet the...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Japan's scariest ghost story | Kit Brooks
Oiwa’s only hope for ending her marriage to the cruel and dishonorable samurai, Iemon, was her father. But after he tried to end the union, Iemon murdered him in cold blood. With plans to marry another, Iemon conspired to poison his wife...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow? | Carolyn Beans
Imagine if a wizard of meatless dining suddenly appeared on Earth and with one wave of a wand wiped away all meat from our shelves— along with any desire to eat it. Farm animals destined for food vanish, whisked away to another planet....
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The dark history of werewolves | Craig Thomson
Stories of werewolves have existed for thousands of years and continue to live on today. They're especially prominent in European literature and folklore, and often found in cultures where the wolf is the largest natural predator. Over...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How to overcome your mistakes | TED-Ed
People often describe failure as a teachable moment— a necessary stumble on our way to improvement. But learning from our mistakes isn't always easy, especially when those failures are demoralizing, overwhelming, or just downright...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why is it so hard to break a bad habit? | TED-Ed
Many people deal with a nail-biting habit at some point in their lives. Some will go to great lengths to try to stop, employing strategies like dipping their hands in salt or wearing gloves. And while not all of us are nail-biters, most...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How to enter flow state | TED-Ed
Flow is more than just concentrating or paying attention; it's a unique mental state of effortless engagement. And those who more frequently experience flow report higher levels of positive emotions, creativity, and feelings of...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Can you outsmart Fate and break her ancient curse? | Dan Finkel
Hundreds of years ago, your ancestor stole a magical tarot deck from Fate herself— and it came with a terrible cost. Once every 23 years, one member of your family must face Fate in a duel with rules only known to your opponent. And...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The Hawaiian story of the king's betrayal | Sydney Iaukea
Long ago, the Hawaiian wind goddess wielded a gourd that housed the winds of the Islands. It came to hold her bones, along with the life force they carried, and was eventually passed to her grandson, Paka'a. Like his father before him,...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why do we eat popcorn at the movies? | Andrew Smith
Soft percussion and a toasty scent mark the violent transformation of tough seeds into cloud-like puffs. This is the almost magical process of popcorn-making. Dozens of kinds of popcorn are now grown in the US, with different strains...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: A day in the Islamic Golden Age | Birte Kristiansen and Petra Sijpesteijn
It's 791 CE. As the morning sun shines on the Golden Gate Palace, brother and sister Hisham and Asma prepare for the journey of a lifetime: the hajj, a holy pilgrimage to Mecca. They intend to travel with the big hajj caravan— but a...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Can you steal the most powerful wand in the wizarding world? | Dan Finkel
The fabled Mirzakhani wand is the most powerful magical item ever created. And that's why the evil wizard Moldevort is planning to use it to conquer the world. You and Drumbledrore have finally discovered its hiding place in a cave, but...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Mao Zedong's infamous mango cult | Vivian Jiang
In August 1968, factory workers overheard news of a mandatory meeting. Whispered rumors described shipments of a gift from the country's Communist leader, Chairman Mao Zedong. And sure enough, managers soon distributed a gift to every...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: This one weird trick will get you infinite gold | Dan Finkel
A few years ago, the king decided your life would be forfeit unless you tripled the gold coins in his treasury. Fortunately, a strange little man appeared and magically performed the feat. Unfortunately, you promised him your first-born...
Washington Post
After 66 million years, a T. rex makes its grand debut
For five years, The Washington Post’s Lee Powell has documented the journey of a nearly complete T. rex skeleton — from the remote reaches of Montana to small-town Canada to the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in...
Washington Post
What is the 'Green New Deal?'
An ambitious framework seeking to combat climate change and spur the economy is being championed by progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.). But what exactly is the “Green New Deal?” Subscribe to The Washington Post on...
Washington Post
A ride through Elon Musk’s first Boring Company tunnel
The Post’s Geoffrey A. Fowler shows you what it was like to ride in the Tesla CEO’s test tunnel under Los Angeles: bumpy, like a roller coaster. Subscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2qiJ4dy Follow us: Twitter:...
Washington Post
Deepfakes: How a new technology is being used to put women’s faces on porn stars’ bodies
AI-generated videos that show a person’s face on another’s body are called “deepfakes.” As the technology progresses, they’re becoming easier to make, more realistic and weaponized against women. Read more: https://wapo.st/2BOmixA....
Washington Post
Why childbirth in America is so dangerous
The United States has the highest rate of pregnancy-related mortality among developed nations. The stunning figures suggest that half of those deaths may have been prevented, and that black women are three to four times more likely to...
Washington Post
Why some people are afraid of spiders
Here is a brief look at some theories about what causes arachnophobia and how sufferers can try to overcome their fear. Subscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2qiJ4dy Follow us: Twitter:...
Washington Post
When does criticism of Israel cross into anti-Semitism?
The Fix’s Eugene Scott analyzes the thin line between criticizing Israel and being labeled anti-Semitic, following Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) recent comments about AIPAC. Read more: https://wapo.st/2GDSkjO. Subscribe to The Washington...
Washington Post
Is extreme weather related to climate change?
Extreme weather, like the polar vortex, is becoming more common as the Arctic continues to be disrupted by climate change. Subscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube: https://wapo.st/2QOdcqK Follow us: Twitter:...
Washington Post
Do third-party candidates impact elections?
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in an interview aired on Jan. 27 that he may run for president as an independent. Third-party candidates are a regular feature of American elections. Read more: https://wapo.st/2RYEX4H. Subscribe...
Washington Post
Brexit explained for confused Americans
The Washington Post's Hannah Jewell explains Brexit for Americans who aren't sure what's going on – and are worried it's too late to ask. Subscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube: https://wapo.st/2QOdcqK Follow us: Twitter:...