TED Talks
Murray Gell-Mann: The ancestor of language
After speaking at TED2007 on elegance in physics, the amazing Murray Gell-Mann gives a quick overview of another passionate interest: finding the common ancestry of our modern languages.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why should you read “Kafka on the Shore”? - Iseult Gillespie
Follow the entwined destinies of Kafka and Nakata in Haruki Murakami’s mind-bending novel “Kafka on the Shore.” -- Desperate to escape his tyrannical father and the family curse he feels doomed to repeat, Haruki Murakami’s teenage...
TED Talks
TED: Technology that knows what you're feeling | Poppy Crum
What happens when technology knows more about us than we do? Poppy Crum studies how we express emotions -- and she suggests the end of the poker face is near, as new tech makes it easy to see the signals that give away how we're feeling....
Crash Course
Nonexistent Objects & Imaginary Worlds: Crash Course Philosophy
Today we transition between units on language and aesthetics with a discussion of nonexistent and imaginary objects. Is it possible to make true assertions about things that aren’t real? We’ll explore Meinong’s Jungle and the concept of...
TED Talks
Vusi Mahlasela: "Thula Mama"
South African singer-songwriter Vusi Mahlasela dedicates his song, "Thula Mama," to all women -- and especially his grandmother.
TED Talks
Aditi Shankardass: A second opinion on developmental disorders
Developmental disorders in children are typically diagnosed by observing behavior, but Aditi Shankardass suggests we should be looking directly at brains. She explains how one EEG technique has revealed mistaken diagnoses and transformed...
TED Talks
TED: How trees talk to each other | Suzanne Simard
A forest is much more than what you see, says ecologist Suzanne Simard. Her 30 years of research in Canadian forests have led to an astounding discovery -- trees talk, often and over vast distances. Learn more about the harmonious yet...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: The true story of 'true' - Gina Cooke
The older the word, the longer (and more fascinating) the story. With roots in Old English, 'true' shares etymological ancestors with words like betroth and truce...but also with the word tree. In fact, trees have been metaphors for...
TED Talks
Mark Forsyth: What's a snollygoster? A short lesson in political speak
Most politicians choose their words carefully, to shape the reality they hope to create. But does it work? Etymologist Mark Forsyth shares a few entertaining word-origin stories from British and American history (for instance, did you...
TED Talks
TED: Don't fear superintelligent AI | Grady Booch
New tech spawns new anxieties, says scientist and philosopher Grady Booch, but we don't need to be afraid an all-powerful, unfeeling AI. Booch allays our worst (sci-fi induced) fears about superintelligent computers by explaining how...
SciShow
Is Your Dog Bilingual?
Your dog might seem like a bit of a goof, but they might be capable of more tricks than you think. A new study from researchers in Hungary investigated whether dogs can distinguish between new and familiar languages.
TED Talks
Mark Pagel: How language transformed humanity
Biologist Mark Pagel shares an intriguing theory about why humans evolved our complex system of language. He suggests that language is a piece of "social technology" that allowed early human tribes to access a powerful new tool:...
TED-Ed
TED-ED: Shakespearean dating tips - Anthony John Peters
Beyond giving the world dozens of English language masterpieces and inventing countless words (including the word countless), William Shakespeare, ever the overachieving bard, especially had a way with the romantic turn of phrase....
TED Talks
TED: A better way to talk about love | Mandy Len Catron
* Viewer discretion advised. This video includes discussion of mature topics and may be inappropriate for some audiences. In love, we fall. We're struck, we're crushed, we swoon. We burn with passion. Love makes us crazy and makes us...
SciShow
The Surprising Connection Between Reading and Rhythm
You might know of dyslexia as a reading disorder, but years of research suggests that people with dyslexia might struggle with processing letters because they also have trouble processing rhythm.
TED Talks
TED: Why are these 32 symbols found in ancient caves all over europe? | Genevieve von Petzinger
Written language, the hallmark of human civilization, didn't just suddenly appear one day. Thousands of years before the first fully developed writing systems, our ancestors scrawled geometric signs across the walls of the caves they...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: Why should you read Kurt Vonnegut? - Mia Nacamulli
Kurt Vonnegut found the tidy, satisfying arcs of many stories at odds with reality, and he set out to explore the ambiguity between good and bad fortune in his own novels. He tried to make sense of human behavior by studying the shapes...
TED Talks
TED: The secret to desire in a long-term relationship | Esther Perel
In long-term relationships, we often expect our beloved to be both best friend and erotic partner. But as Esther Perel argues, good and committed sex draws on two conflicting needs: our need for security and our need for surprise. So how...
TED Talks
Erin McKean: Go ahead, make up new words!
In this fun, short talk from TEDYouth, lexicographer Erin McKean encourages — nay, cheerleads — her audience to create new words when the existing ones won’t quite do. She lists out 6 ways to make new words in English, from compounding...
Crash Course
Why Human Evolution Matters: Crash Course Big History 204
This week on Crash Course Big History, Emily is talking about process of human evolution, and the knack for innovation that has allowed humans to become so dominant on the Earth. Human innovation, and the ability to build on those...
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 Talks
Megan Washington: Why I live in mortal dread of public speaking
Megan Washington is one of Australia's premier singer/songwriters. And, since childhood, she has had a stutter. In this bold and personal talk, she reveals how she copes with this speech impediment—from avoiding the letter combination...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: What makes a language... a language? | Martin Hilpert
Outside of China, Mandarin and Cantonese are often referred to as Chinese dialects, despite being even more dissimilar than Spanish and Italian. On the other hand, speakers of Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, which are three distinct...
SciShow
Neanderthals Smarter Than You Think
You have more in common with a Neanderthal than you might think. Michael Aranda explains our latest finds in this episode of SciShow!