The fashion industry has a big carbon footprint. How can we find a sustainable solution that fits?

Amy O'Toole is a 12-year-old student who helped run a science experiment inspired by Beau Lotto's participative science approach. At age 10 she became one of the youngest people ever to publish a peer-reviewed science paper.

Does food talk? And if so, what is it saying? Microbe researcher Robert Prill decodes the messages sent by microorganisms to discover the telltale and potentially deadly signs of contaminated foods. Prill says that by paying closer attention we can save lives and better protect our food supply from adulteration.

Diane Kelly studies vertebrate anatomy, in particular the connection between the design and the function of reproductive organs.

Evolutionary ecologist Sara Lewis digs deep into firefly mating rituals to uncover a world of secret languages and strange gifts in these silent sparks.

Ed Yong blogs with a mission: to ignite excitement for science in everyone, regardless of their education or background.

The sight of mistletoe may either send you scurrying or, if you have your eye on someone, awaiting an opportunity beneath its snow-white berries. But how did the festive tradition of kissing under mistletoe come about? Carlos Reif explains how this long-lived custom intertwines the mythology and biology of this intriguing plant. [Directed by Bál...

Take a walk on the stranger side of science with these uncanny, yet fascinating talks.

B. N. Horowitz, MD is a cardiologist and visiting professor at Harvard University's department of human evolutionary biology who turns to the natural world for insights into human well being.

Some people take aspirin or ibuprofen to treat everyday aches and pains but how exactly do the different classes of pain relievers work? Learn about the basic physiology of how humans experience pain and the mechanics of the medicines we've invented to block or circumvent that discomfort. [Lesson by George Zaidan, directed by Hal Lee, narrated b...

TED Fellow Rachel Armstrong is a sustainability innovator who creates new materials that possess some of the properties of living systems, and can be manipulated to "grow" architecture.

Christoph Adami works on the nature of life and evolution, trying to define life in a way that is as free as possible from our preconceptions.

Nina Jablonski is author of Skin: A Natural History, a close look at human skin’s many remarkable traits: its colors, its sweatiness, the fact that we decorate it.

Charles Anderson studies marine life in the Maldives, a nation of coral atolls in the Indian ocean.

Robert Sapolsky is one of the leading neuroscientists in the world, studying stress in primates (including humans).

Penelope Jagessar Chaffer made the film "Toxic Baby," exploring environmental toxins through interviews and surreal imagery.

A collection of talks to enjoy before welcoming a new little life into the world.

Aphids can reproduce incredibly fast: they can make 20 new generations within a single season. And that means lots of poop. Some aphid populations can produce hundreds of kilograms of poop per acre— making them some of the most prolific poopers on the planet. We know this poop as the sweet, syrupy liquid called honeydew. George Zaidan explores t...

Doris Kim Sung is a biology student turned architect interested in thermo-bimetals, smart materials that respond dynamically to temperature change.

By studying how ant colonies work without any one leader, Deborah Gordon has identified striking similarities in how ant colonies, brains, cells and computer networks regulate themselves.

Marlene Zuk studies insect behavior -- and how humans use animal behavior to think about how we behave ourselves.

What's going on inside the brains of animals? Can we know what, or if, they're thinking and feeling? Carl Safina thinks we can. Using discoveries and anecdotes that span ecology, biology and behavioral science, he weaves together stories of whales, wolves, elephants and albatrosses to argue that just as we think, feel, use tools and express emot...

Emma Teeling, Director of the Centre for Irish Bat Research, thinks we have a lot to learn from the biology of bats.

Think you know a thing or two about sex? Think again. In this fascinating talk, biologist Carin Bondar lays out the surprising science behind how animals get it on. (This talk describes explicit and aggressive sexual content.)

Humans have been battling heartburn for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. But recently the incidence has risen, making it a common complaint worldwide. What causes this problem, and how can it be stopped? Rusha Modi details the causes and treatments of heartburn.

Whales have a surprising and important job, says marine biologist Asha de Vos: these massive creatures are ecosystem engineers, keeping the oceans healthy and stable by ... well, by pooping, for a start. Learn from de Vos, a TED Fellow, about the undervalued work that whales do to help maintain the stability and health of our seas -- and our pla...

Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado wants to understand the how and why of tissue regeneration.

Everyday, robots perform tasks like picking apples, screwing lids on jars and sewing. But while robots excel at many things, designing them to grasp and handle delicate items has been a challenge. In this tech demo, robotics entrepreneur Carl Vause explains how the octopus tentacle inspired him to develop a machine capable of picking up the most...

Medicine made from human antibodies help us battle cancer and other diseases — but they blend into our immune system so well, it's difficult to track their side effects. Shark antibodies, by contrast, stand out like a sore thumb. Antibody researcher Doreen Koenning has dedicated her career to studying how these proteins could become a valuable t...

Robert Wright uses evolutionary biology and game theory to explain why we appreciate the Golden Rule ("Do unto others..."), why we sometimes ignore it and why there’s hope that, in the near future, we might all have the compassion to follow it.