Public Health
The danger of science denial - Michael Specter
Lesson duration 16:30
Vaccine-autism claims, "Frankenfood" bans, the herbal cure craze: All point to the public's...
Search results for disaster
TED-Ed Lessons
Social Studies
Run, sail, or hide? How to survive the destruction of Pompeii
Lesson duration 05:31
It’s a bustling day in Pompeii. After a quick visit to the market, Fabia spots her brothers,...
Earth and Space Science
How tsunamis work
Lesson duration 03:37
The immense swell of a tsunami can grow up to 100 feet, hitting speeds over 500 mph -- a...
Science & Technology
How to survive the apocalypse | Ada, Ep. 1
Lesson duration 10:54
This is episode 1 of the animated series, “Ada.” This 5-episode narrative follows the young...
Science & Technology
Climate change will displace millions. Here's how we prepare - Colette Pichon Battle
Lesson duration 12:48
Scientists predict climate change will displace more than 180 million people by 2100 -- a crisis...
Business & Economics
Why good ideas get trapped in the valley of death— and how to rescue them
Lesson duration 05:10
All new products must pass through the "valley of death" before they reach the market. Many never...
Science & Technology
The material that could change the world... for a third time
Lesson duration 05:27
Today roads, sidewalks, bridges, and skyscrapers are made of a material called concrete (aka...
Science & Technology
How much electricity does it take to power the world?
Lesson duration 05:02
All around the world, millions of people are flipping a switch, plugging in, and pressing an ‘on’...
Science & Technology
How much land does it take to power the world?
Lesson duration 04:48
No matter how we make electricity, it takes up space. Coal requires mines, and plants to convert...
Science & Technology
The “myth” of the boiling frog
Lesson duration 04:41
Since 1850, global average temperatures have risen by 1 degree Celsius. That may not sound like a...
Science & Technology
How scientists turn lakes into giant batteries
Lesson duration 05:16
As of 2020, the world’s biggest lithium-ion battery is hooked up to the Southern California power...
Science & Technology
4 different ways you can power a car
Lesson duration 04:41
Historically, most cars have run on gasoline, but that doesn’t have to be the case in the future:...
Critical Thinking
Everything changed when the fire crystal got stolen
Lesson duration 04:22
Someone has tripped the magical alarms in the Element Temple. When you and the other monks arrive...
Environmental Science
Can the ocean run out of oxygen?
Lesson duration 06:21
For most of the year, the Gulf of Mexico is teeming with marine life, from tiny crustaceans to...
Design, Engineering & Technology
Building the world's largest (and most controversial) power plant
Lesson duration 05:38
In 2018, a single power plant produced more energy than the world’s largest coal-powered and...
Design, Engineering & Technology
How one design flaw almost toppled a skyscraper
Lesson duration 05:16
In 1978, Diane Hartley was writing her undergraduate architecture thesis when she made a shocking...
Literature & Language
Why should you read “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding?
Lesson duration 04:48
After witnessing the atrocities of his fellow man in World War II, William Golding was losing his...
Psychology
Why rumors about vaccines spread— and how to rebuild trust - Heidi Larson
Lesson duration 16:08
Why do people distrust vaccines? Anthropologist Heidi Larson explores how medical rumors...
Design, Engineering & Technology
The trillion dollar paradox
Lesson duration 05:41
Global warming is very, very expensive: extreme weather, rising sea levels, crop failures, health...
Environmental Science
Is the weather actually becoming more extreme?
Lesson duration 05:22
From 2016 to 2019, the world saw record-breaking heat waves, rampant wildfires, and the longest...
Motivation and Emotion
Losing everything - David Hoffman
Lesson duration 05:07
Nine days before TED2008, filmmaker David Hoffman lost almost everything he owned in a fire that...
Life Sciences
The physics of human sperm vs. the physics of the sperm whale
Lesson duration 04:18
Traveling is extremely arduous for microscopic sperm -- think of a human trying to swim in a pool...
Literature & Language
Mysteries of vernacular: Robot
Lesson duration 02:18
In 1920, Czech writer Karel Čapek wrote a play about human-like machines, thereby inventing the...
Why climate change is a threat to human rights - Mary Robinson
Lesson duration 21:43
Climate change is unfair. While rich countries can fight against rising oceans and dying farm...
TED-Ed's Best of Web
Science & Technology
The human back is a design disaster
Lesson duration 06:40
Everyone who lives long enough is likely to experience back pain. And the cause isn't just...
Science & Technology
World's only moving mud puddle
Lesson duration 11:39
A mud puddle started moving across the California desert, and no one knows why. Physics Girl...
Earth and Space Science
Eyes on the stars
Lesson duration 03:17
On January 28, 1986, NASA Challenger mission STS-51-L ended in tragedy when the shuttle exploded...
Earth and Space Science
The secret to rising sea levels
Lesson duration 01:16
Of the many environmental impacts imposed by climate change, rising sea levels are often...
A new way to invest in clean energy innovation: Breakthrough energy catalyst
Lesson duration 03:01
How do we bring the next generation of climate solutions to market in time to avoid a climate...
Public Health
The coronavirus explained and how you can combat it
Lesson duration 08:35
The coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is impacting every nation on Earth. Whether it is the deadly...
The universal danger of ignoring human rights violations
Lesson duration 06:41
In Syria, almost every conceivable atrocity has been committed in the last few years, says UN...
How Louise Mabulo connects activism with agriculture
Lesson duration 01:49
Activist and farmer Louise Mabulo calls on governments to build food equity for people affected...
TED-Ed Blog
Disasters and crises bring out the best in us
Disasters and crises bring out the best in us. This simple fact is confirmed by more solid...
Ever sent clothing or toys in response to a disaster? Here’s what probably happened to it
So many of us have been moved to mail a box of clothes, toiletries, food or toys after hearing...
Hope and action: A climate reading list
You’ve seen the headlines. Melting ice caps, endangered species, wildfires, heatwaves, floods,...
3 questions to ask when using new technology in the classroom
Before introducing any new technology in the classroom, there are tough questions that must be...
5 educators share their vision for building a better world
The world is continuing to experiment with virtual events, and to recognize that we need ideas...
Islamophobia through the eyes of a middle school student
Hilliard Weaver Middle School student Ayat Bhutta notices prejudice against Muslims frequently,...
Your climate crisis reading list: 15 essential reads
We — Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine Wilkinson — are climate experts...
8 ways to fight COVID-19— and improve the world— from home
Staying home is the best way to fight COVID-19, but there are plenty of projects you can get...
6 books to get you started with cli-fi
You’ve heard of sci-fi, but what do you know about cli-fi? As global leaders struggle to make...
Why you should think about being a good ancestor
Yes, we know it takes plenty of time and energy to be a good person in the here and now. But due...
How to use TED-Ed in your Earth and Space Science classroom
Highland Park High School teacher Gordon Williamson uses TED-Ed Lessons extensively in his...
On raising kids who are more than “hoop jumpers”: A teenage TED speaker’s mom on how she encourages her sons to innovate
Jane Andraka has raised two remarkable sons. Luke, age 20, is studying electrical engineering at...
3 strategies to help you cope with tragedy and sorrow
Tough times are inevitable. Wellbeing and resilience expert Lucy Hone shares the three...
20 books to read in 2015: TED-Ed Educators share their top 5 must-reads
If one of your New Year’s Resolutions was the classic “read more books” and you haven’t so much...