Today, we're excited to bring the world of TED Talks further into your home with the new TED Talks skill for Amazon Alexa! Available on devices with Amazon Alexa including the Echo and Echo Dot, TED fans can now listen to the latest ideas from the world's greatest thinkers by voice command. For existing Alexa users, enable the skill by s...

Wise words and solid advice from BJ Miller, who thinks deeply about the end of life as head of the Zen Hospice Project. Death is an uncomfortable topic. Although we’re well-acquainted with platitudes that remind us to seize the moment and live each day like it’s our last, few of us devote real time to envisioning the end of our lives -- or the ...

About this event: What does the future hold for humanity in the next 30-50 years? And how should we future-proof ourselves? Thinking about whats to come, we will cover emotional intelligence (self-care) and how its development can aid in being a good human being, have better life relationships, and be at peace with self with exercises such as practicing mindful...

About this event: Becoming You by TEDxCorkSalon is a place for young women to have a conversation to explore the path of becoming themselves focusing on authentic self and body image. We will have live speakers, a short Q&A session with the speakers led by young women and interactive workshops relevant to the theme.1:30pm @ Sample-Studios The salon will be...

About this event: The TEDxTeachersCollege 2012-2013 special events and main conference will focus on the theme of “Be Here Now." The events will cover four subthemes: being a mindful individual, creating mindful workplaces, building mindful communities, and practicing mindful education. These subthemes will feature both students and practitioners as speakers and...

About this event: This year's TEDxYouth@AIS-R talks highlight a variety of ideas that connect with our school-wide theme, Be Well & Flourish. Thirteen inspiring students from our elementary, middle and high school share their Big Ideas on topics like overcoming fears, the benefits of playing a musical instrument, why creativity matters, how everyone can make ...

As this calendar year draws to a close, many of us are making resolutions about personal growth and change. It's a great time, too, for making changes in our working lives. Most of us spend a good portion of our days doing some kind of work -- learning or teaching, making or planning, following or leading -- and it's worth thinking deeply on how...

About this event: Now in its 5th year, TEDxYouth@KC returns and is Making A Scene—our 2019 theme! At this all-ages event, we are excited to present youth-focused ideas, speakers and performers that foster creativity, mindfulness, entertainment, and more. Please join us for an afternoon highlighting both youth and youth leaders, how they are Making A Scene in the...

While asking this question won't change your life, it can help pause your inner critic and create space for possibility, says therapist Susan Henkels. This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here. Susan Henke...

About this event: Our theme was ‘Everday Radicals’ and we heard stories of adhocracy and everyday heroes; About revolutionary ideas both big and small; Of simple actions that provoked big change; Stories of empowerment and agency; Smart ideas from unlikely protagonists and everyday people; Ideas that have the power to transform; Stories with the power to turn our...

In the noise of a city, peace and quiet can be hard to find. Australian composer and sound artist Jason Sweeney has a solution -- Stereopublic, a free smartphone app that lets users geo-locate and share their favorite tranquil city spaces. This week, in advance of TEDGlobal 2013, Stereopublic has launched a custom Edinburgh version of the ...

Anyone who has appreciated a meditative mental drift while knitting or mowing a lawn knows that there is something calming about engaging in a familiar, low-impact activity that requires minimal thought and bestows a clear sense of progress. That goes at least some of the way toward explaining the immense appeal of adult coloring books, which no...

About this event: We may think our lives are dull and uneventful. We sometimes look to others' lives and wonder why ours isn't as exciting and interesting. It is as if we are living in the darkness behind the glowing lights we see. However, we must bring our own light to the darkness. You yourself may not be luminous, but you are the only conductor of light. B...

When you’re anxious, one of the best things you can do is slow down and focus on your breath. But what can you do when you’re so anxious or worried that this doesn’t work or simply feels impossible to do? Below, I'll share a simple but effective trick that brings in more of your senses and helps cut through the anxiety so you can access more ...

Many people have tried to sell me on the idea of meditating. Sometimes I try it, and have an incredible, refreshing experience. But usually, as I close my eyes and focus on my breathing, while I know that I’m supposed to be letting all thoughts go, more and more fly through my mind. Soon I have a laundry-list of “to-dos” in my head … and then my...

About this event: We all lead stressful lives. In this day and age, we are pressured by the societal idea of perfection and over-saturated with finely curated examples of people who seem to have it all; simply existing is synonymous with feeling stress. This can easily become overwhelming and can negatively affect our mental health and overall well-being. However...

TED2013, “The Young. The Wise. The Undiscovered,” begins in just 20 days and we at the TED Blog are gearing up to bring you live reporting on each of the 70 speakers who’ll be ascending the stage, not to mention assorted news from the scene in Long Beach, California. One thing we hope to see more of at this amazing event: props. There’s some...

Tissue engineering researcher

On September 12, TED welcomed its latest class of the TED Residency program, an in-house incubator for breakthrough ideas. Residents spend four months in the TED office with fellow brilliant minds who are creatively taking on projects that are making significant changes in their communities, across many different fields   The new Resident...

Yes, we all do these things, but they can suck the life from your conversations, says sound consultant Julian Treasure. Read this and strengthen your gift of gab. Over the years, I’ve identified a set of common emotional drivers that suck the power out of communication. I call them the four leeches. Most people -- me included! -- have most, or ...

Many people are caregivers for their sick parents, partners, friends or others, with an unfortunate consequence: They end up suffering. TED speakers share steps that caregivers can take to help maintain their own well-being. Today, people in every country are living longer than ever. Globally, there are an estimated 962 million individuals aged...

Standing on the TED stage looking stunning in a blue dress, neuroscientist and author Sandra Aamodt  reveals that three and a half years ago on New Year's Eve, she made a decision: She gave worrying about her weight. Instead, she learned to eat mindfully -- and lost 10 pounds. For Aamodt, who had been dieting unsuccessfully for 30 years, thi...

As we look ahead to a world with less work, or even no work, we can take control -- by using our hours with greater meaning and purpose, says business thinker Tim Leberecht. Many of us divide our days into 8 hours of work, 8 hours of leisure and 8 hours of sleep. But what will happen when a large number of jobs -- some studies say as much as 50...

By Kylie Dunn What do you get when you cross a 39-year-old perfectionist with 54 TED Talks and far more honesty than any person probably needs to experience? You get my Year of TED. I’ve been inspired by TED Talks for years, and felt the urge to do something noteworthy and challenging to ring in my fortieth year on the planet. Inspira...

Find repose by exciting the mind. Some of the world's leading thinkers offer the books that inspired them and their work. Skim the list for your favorite speakers, or get nerdy on a topic you've always wanted to know more about. Below find 52 books, recommended by TED speakers. Creativity Creative Confidence, by Tom Kelley and David Kelley Cr...

The winter holidays are a time of giving, but too often that means nonstop spending, shopping and stress. Read how one family boldly reimagined their annual gift swap. Giving presents is a fun way to show people we care about them. But as many of us know, giving presents during the December holiday season can cost a lot of money and cause a lot...

In 1972, Matthieu Ricard had a promising career in biochemistry, trying to figure out the secrets of E. coli bacteria. A chance encounter with Buddhism led to an about turn, and Ricard has spent the past 40+ years living in the Himalayas, studying mindfulness and happiness. In this free-wheeling discussion at TED Global in October 2014, Ricard t...

About this event: You are cordially invited to the next TEDxTheHague salon! Our April edition — themed What a Coincidence! — is curated by TEDxTheHague regular Johannes Zirm. Johannes writes: "Every time I spot another 'coincidence', I challenge myself to think about what the universe might want to tell me with that. This usually leads me to question aspect...

At day two of TED@PMI, six speakers shared ideas about creating change, shifting perspectives and connecting across diverse communities. (Check out the day one recap as well.) The event: TED@PMI, a two-day virtual event showcasing project leaders who turn ideas into action and impact. Hosted by PMI President and Chief Executive Officer Su...

Anxiety could be the price that we have to pay for freedom, suggests psychologist Steven Pinker. When it comes to happiness, many people are underachievers. Americans are laggards among their first-world peers, and their happiness has stagnated in the era sometimes called the American Century. The Baby Boomers, despite growing up in peace and p...