A well-designed flag can be a thing of beauty, inspiring pledges of allegiance galore. But weirdly, bad flags can inspire passion and loyalty too, suggesting that democracy and design don’t always work together hand-in-hand. In 1926, the Union of South Africa needed a flag -- badly. Formed in 1910 by the joining of four former colonies, South ...

Homophobia and mass shootings are afflictions that won't be solved overnight -- but the problematic and outdated restrictions against gay blood donors could be. Nothing rubs salt in the wounds of tragedy like bigotry or bureaucracy -- or both. But that is just what happened last week after the shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando. Wit...

By far the most viewed talk from TED2012 was given by an introvert who doesn't like talking. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, quietly and powerfully delivered a call to action: take introverts seriously and understand what they can do in the right environment. There is, of course, mu...

Founder of EachOneTeachOne, Neha Gupta helps Facebook users spend their online time tutoring students in need. Neha has a history of using IT for social good, including helping develop a smart phone app that provides live video streaming during 911 calls. In the future, Neha hopes to spread the power of technology by training women from her na...

When we're overwhelmed by emotions, we’re usually not our best selves. We may blow up, say hurtful things or burst into tears. But what if we had a tool we could use to turn down the temperature at those times? Psychologist Marc Brackett has a helpful strategy. As founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, psychologist Mar...

About this event: TEDxXi'anWomen城市大会：力量与新生 XX和XY作为最原始的染色体，塑造了这个星球上高等生命的两种形态。伴随着人类文明的发展与演进，女性始终贡献着自己独特的影响力。 值得高兴的是，这个时代的女性并不再急于向世界洗刷偏见，而是开始用与性别无关的标签表达自己。当力量并不意味着肌肉发达和身体强壮，新生也并不投射于怀孕产子的生理现象，女性们就脱离了生理构造的方框，发挥出坚韧与温柔的推动力。 我们邀请来自表演艺术、设计、性学、时尚、教育、心理学等多个领域的代表性人物来到丝绸之路的起点西安，围绕女性角色、女性发展、女性智慧等多方面内容，来讲述他们的独特思考。 X and Y, the primary sex chromosomes known, brought two form...

Humanity is defined by its immense body of knowledge. Most times it inches forward, shedding light onto the mysteries of the universe and easing life's endeavors in small increments. But in some special moments, knowledge and understanding leap forward, when one concentrated mind or one crucial discovery redirects the course of things and ch...

About this event: Focused on the theme of Equity, Inclusion and Justice, this TEDxMtHood Salon features local speakers Lakia Davis and Julie Davis, in addition to related TED.com videos. The schedule of events is as follows: 6:30-7:00pm - Registration and mingling 7:00-9:00pm - Equity, Inclusion and Justice Salon session with speakers Lakia Davis and Julie Dav...

When game designer Jane McGonigal found herself bedridden and suicidal following a severe concussion, she had a fascinating idea for how to get better. She dove into the scientific research and created the healing game, SuperBetter. In this moving talk, McGonigal explains how a game can boost resilience -- and promises to add 7.5 minutes to your...

What do a disease-fighting epidemiologist (retired) and an up-and-coming social psychologist have in common? They're both fascinated by the unseen social problems hidden behind the word "inequality."  Beyond the lack of access to money and power -- what does inequality do to us as human beings? Epidemiologist Richard Wilkinson (TED Talk: ...

How can the US recover after the negative, partisan presidential election of 2016? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the morals that form the basis of our political choices. In conversation with TED Curator Chris Anderson, he describes the patterns of thinking and historical causes that have led to such sharp divisions in America -- and...

What should we do with the quiet kids? A conversation with Susan Cain on the future of classroom education. Susan Cain sticks up for the introverts of the world. In the U.S., where one third to one half the population identifies as introverts, that means sticking up for a lot of people. Some of them might be data engineers overwhelmed by the ...

Minority Leader: How to Lead from the Outside and Make Change by Stacey Abrams (TED talk: 3 questions to ask yourself about everything you do) I work in government affairs, and the last thing I enjoy reading for pleasure are books by politicians. However, this book is different on so many levels and is a must-read -- whether you’re a political ...

Written by the educator who created What Makes Us Human?, a brief look at the key facts, tough questions and big ideas in his field. Begin this TED Study with a fascinating read that gives context and clarity to the material. As a biological anthropologist, I never liked drawing sharp distinctions between human and non-human. Such boundaries ma...

After his mainstage talk on the opening night of TED, psychologist Steven Pinker sat down with Chris Anderson to dive into his new book, Enlightenment Now. The two examined some criticisms of the book and the thesis behind it, dug into the data, and then threw the floor open for questions, in a session that offered the luxury of time to real...

Need a dose of literary oomph and inspiration? Here's a selection of uplifting reads -- all suggested by TED speakers -- for your enjoyment. When you crave entertainment but don't want to dumb down A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman This touching novel reminds us that everyone has a story; that we should aim to understand, not to judge; and ...

Legacy is a delightfully complex concept, and it's one that the TED@Westpac curators took on with gusto for the daylong event held in Sydney, Australia, on Monday December 11th. Themed around the idea of "The Future Legacy," the day was packed with 15 speakers and two performers and hosted by TED's Cyndi Stivers and TED speaker and monster p...

How do we manage the transformations that are radically altering our lives -- all while making a positive impact on our well-being, productivity and the world? In a word: reboot. For a seventh year, BCG has partnered with TED to bring experts in leadership, psychology, technology, sustainability and more to the stage to share ideas on ret...

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...

TED Fellow Paul Wicks is changing the way patients with chronic health conditions connect with one another, and how they participate in research. Trained as a neuropsychologist -- and specializing in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease -- Paul began using the internet in 2002 to bring together communities of patients wi...

Taken for Granted Tuesday, June 29, 2021 ADAM: Luis, did you think your son was out of his mind? LUIS: No, no, I never think he’s out of his mind, I just think that he’s ... nuts. [Adam and Lin laugh] ADAM: Nuts. That’s one way to have your dad describe you. But when you have a creative streak like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s, maybe it’s not such ...

We asked TED speakers, TED-Ed educators and TED Fellows: “What books would you bring with you to a desert island?” In their deliciously diverse responses, you'll find there's something for every kind of reader. They offered up recommendations -- please use the following links to jump around the sections you're interested in -- for when you're h...

The Do’s And Don'ts Of Returning To The Office Tuesday, June 7, 2022 Adam Grant: It's been more than two years since offices shut down, many people were sent home, and meetings turned into video calls...And now leaders want people back to the office! But many people have mixed feelings about that. [MUSIC] Thalia: What do I think about going b...

  Summer: the season for cracking open a good book under the shade of a tree. Below, we’ve compiled about 70 stellar book recommendations from members of the TED community. Warning: not all of these books can be classified as beach reads. And we think that is a good thing. Picks from Elizabeth Gilbert, author  The Principles of Uncertainty ...

Whether you're staying put or going away, summer can be a great time to relax and try new things. So we asked TED speakers to recommend podcasts, books, TV shows, movies and more that have nourished their minds, spirits and bodies (yes, you'll find a link to a recipe for olive-cheese loaf below) in recent times. You can use the links here to ju...

WorkLife with Adam Grant Tuesday, May 18, 2021 ADAM GRANT: Hi WorkLifers, a quick warning that in this episode we discuss the murder of George Floyd. TYECE WILKINS: It wasn't until Saturday evening that I allowed the tears to flow. Sitting underneath a cotton candy pink sky. I put on Mali Music's Gonna be all right. And try to let the music ...

Here's a huge list of TED speaker-recommended books, with all the diversity of titles and topics you might expect. No matter your mood, preference or occasion, we’ve got you covered. When you’re lying in the sun Any book by Isaac Asimov I have stacks of collections of science-fiction short stories. I grab these before getting on a long f...

Whether your weeks ahead contain travel, vacations or just longer and lazier days than usual, our list of recommendations from TED speakers has books for all moods, activities and tastes. When you want to understand why we humans do what we do Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely (TED Talk: Our buggy...

In the face of artificial intelligence and machine learning, we need a new radical humanism, says Tim Leberecht. For the self-described "business romantic," this means designing organizations and workplaces that celebrate authenticity instead of efficiency and questions instead of answers. Leberecht proposes four (admittedly subjective) principl...

Designers spend their days dreaming up better products and better worlds, and you can use their thinking to re-envision your own life, says design professor Bill Burnett. He shares five tips to try, whether you're at the start of your career or contemplating your next act.