TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How dangerous was it to be a jester? | Beatrice K. Otto
Contrary to common belief, jesters weren't just a medieval European phenomenon but flourished in other times and cultures. The first reliably recorded jester is thought to be You Shi, of 7th century BCE China. Jesters had unique...
TED Talks
TED: CRISPR's next advance is bigger than you think | Jennifer Doudna
You've probably heard of CRISPR, the revolutionary technology that allows us to edit the DNA in living organisms. Biochemist and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Jennifer Doudna earned the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking work in this...
TED Talks
TED: How your company can gain a global talent advantage | Johann Daniel Harnoss
If a diverse workforce makes a better company, why don't more businesses hire internationally? Innovation and migration strategist Johann Daniel Harnoss details the advantage of global talent and how to best build the systems and culture...
TED Talks
TED: An economy powered by sun and wind -- it's almost here | Kala Constantino
With some of the highest energy bills in Southeast Asia and extreme weather to match, the Philippines experiences the climate crisis -- and climate activism -- as a part of daily life. Clean energy advocate Kala Constantino highlights...
TED Talks
TED: Blindness isn't a tragic binary -- it's a rich spectrum | Andrew Leland
When does vision loss become blindness? Writer, audio producer and editor Andrew Leland explains how his gradual loss of vision revealed a paradoxical truth about blindness -- and shows why it might have implications for how all of us...
TED Talks
TED: Will superintelligent AI end the world? | Eliezer Yudkowsky
Decision theorist Eliezer Yudkowsky has a simple message: superintelligent AI could probably kill us all. So the question becomes: Is it possible to build powerful artificial minds that are obedient, even benevolent? In a fiery talk,...
SciShow
Corn Shouldn't Be Food, But It Is
You probably have a bag of frozen corn in your freezer, or have chowed down on a buttery ear of corn at a cookout. But not only did it take thousands of years for humans to domesticate teosinte to corral it into what we now know as corn,...
SciShow
Why Are Saturn’s Rings Younger Than Saturn?
Saturn's rings are younger than Saturn, and the most spectacular sight in the Solar System is also disappearing. How do we know? By running our finger through some cosmic dust.
SciShow
Even Locusts Hate Plagues of Locusts
Plagues of locusts have been documented since ancient times, and they affect the food supply of one in ten people today. How can we stop them? Well, computer models of locusts swarms tell us every locust is scared to death of its neighbors.
SciShow
The 2000-Year-Old Farmers Saving the Amazon Today
Thousands of years ago, indigenous farmers in the Amazon created exceptionally fertile soil. Today, scientists think it could restore the succession of rainforest plants and help reverse the effects of climate change.
SciShow
Is MDMA the Solution to PTSD?
What if the treatment for one of the most daunting psychological conditions were a party drug? New research suggests that might be coming.
SciShow
Parasites Are Good, Actually
Parasites give most of us the heebie-jeebies. But new research shows they're pretty dang important for ecosystems, and climate change is putting them in danger. So here's some of the reasons you should care about those guys!
SciShow
How Does Chickenpox Turn Into Shingles?
You might know that chickenpox and shingles are both caused by the same virus, varicella zoster. Here's why the symptoms, and even the vaccines, are different the second time around.
SciShow
Is Mifepristone Safer Than Viagra? Yes*
Mifepristone, a drug used for medical abortions, is under fire in the United States, with critics claiming it isn't safe to use. Abortion rights advocates often revert to a funny talking point to argue for its safety, but how accurate is...
SciShow
The Future Of Trees Is Liquid
We love trees, but the main problem is that they aren't exactly travel-sized. However, new technology wants to bring the fresh-air benefits of trees to places that the real deal just can't thrive, like dense urban areas!
SciShow
Why Do People Like the Smell of Gasoline?
Why do we love the smell of something like gasoline that provides no clear evolutionary adaptation for us? Here are the psychological and chemical reasons that some researchers have suggested.
SciShow
Is There A Wrong Way To Sit?
Sometimes called "W-sitting," this popular way for kids to plop in front of the TV has been stigmatized for decades. For most people, research indicates it's just fine. But a small percentage of W-sitters do have a problem.
SciShow
Can Gray Hair Be Reversed?
Researchers have identified the processes that cause gray hair and have done experiments to reverse it. And believe it or not, we've had some of these options for decades.
SciShow
Could a Perfume Ingredient Save ER Patients?
Sometimes, major injury causes blood loss that results in improper clotting, or coagulopathy. Some researchers think a compound used in perfume to create jasmine fragrances could help save these patients.
SciShow
A Universal Cure for Snake Bites?
If you're bitten by a snake, you might need a horse to save your life. Researchers are searching for better antivenoms to treat illnesses like snake bite, and they're turning to monoclonal antibodies, made in a lab, to replace the...
SciShow
Should We Put Wind Turbines on Kites?
The future of wind energy is solarpunk. At least according to some manufacturers who want to put wind turbines on kites, blimps, or just generally up in the air where wind can generate green energy and fight climate change more efficiently.
SciShow
Should We Be Raising Kids Barefoot?
While most of us only think about our shoes in terms of how they complete our outfits, there's a lot more impact that your choice of footwear can have on your life. Turns out that shoes can change how your feet grow and develop. So is it...
SciShow
Does COVID Mess With Your DNA?
As more and more are infected with COVID-19, there's a growing group of people who have what's called Long COVID, meaning they still have symptoms for weeks or months after getting sick. While we still don't know for sure the cause of...
SciShow
The Return of Thalidomide
Thalidomide is the infamous drug at the heart of one of the world's worst drug safety catastrophes in modern medicine. And yet, more recent research is finding that thalidomide is still worth using, despite the risks. So what makes this...