What's the science behind a sublime perfume? With charm and precision, biophysicist Luca Turin explains the molecular makeup -- and the art -- of a scent.

In Western society, bats are often characterized as creepy, even evil. Zoologist Emma Teeling encourages us to rethink common attitudes toward bats, whose unique and fascinating biology gives us insight into our own genetic makeup.

Trans actress, model and writer Hari Nef scrutinizes the concept of passing as a transgender woman and using feminization as a survival tactic. "Hair, makeup and nails keep us strong and safe; does that make us sellouts? Or survivors?" In her talk, Nef boldly investigates trans femininity, asking the question: Why are we shamed for being femme?

When most people think of archaeology, they picture ancient civilizations and long-lost cities. In this short but fascinating talk, urban archaeologist Alyssa Loorya discusses her findings unearthed from the tunnels of New York City. She shares what they reveal about the city's original economic and racial makeup — and the importance of incorpor...

The Japanese dance and theater art of kabuki, derived from the word kabuku, meaning "out of the ordinary," can be traced back to the streets of seventeenth-century Kyoto. Kabuki became a dramatic art for the common people, with its use of makeup and facial expressions rather than masks, as well as a playful take on current events. Amanda Mattes ...

If you're wondering why blackface -- mimicking people of African descent via stereotypes and makeup-darkened skin -- is a big deal, then perhaps a little history lesson can help demystify the outcry. Dwan Reece, curator at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, explains how this practice permeates the American psyche and cu...

Ninety-six percent of genome studies are based on people of European descent. The rest of the world is virtually unrepresented -- and this is dangerous, says geneticist and TED Fellow Keolu Fox, because we react to drugs differently based on our genetic makeup. Fox is working to democratize genome sequencing, specifically by advocating for indig...

Geena Rocero is an award-winning producer, director and author of "Horse Barbie: A Memoir."

Cheryl Hayashi studies the delicate but terrifically strong silk threads that make up a spider's web, finding startling applications for human use.

Rob Dunbar looks deeply at ancient corals and sediments to study how the climate and the oceans have shifted over the past 50 to 12,000 years -- and how the Antarctic ecosystem is changing right now.

About this event: We will be bringing together a diverse group of speakers to talk about Connections. Connections between people, within our physical makeup, and how connections are established. Look below for the full line up of speakers! The event is open to the public. Grab your tickets while there is still space!

Jason Yang is recognized for his versatility on multiple instruments as well as his abilities in composing and producing.

With TED-Ed communicator Emilie Soffe as the leading lady, the TED staff puts on a show.

Television schedules are packed with reality shows about the wild world of modeling. Tyra Banks’ America’s Next Top Model is casting for its 20th edition right now, and The Face, starring Naomi Campbell, Coco Rocha and Karolina Kurkova, will premiere in February. What are we supposed to learn from this addictive genre? Modeling isn’t just about ...

A new DNA technology that analyzes human blood samples has been shown to catch the disease four months earlier than traditional methods. Cancer researcher Jimmy Lin explains how it works. Cancer is the ultimate killer: it can strike suddenly, move swiftly through the human body, and change form over time to evade attackers. Plus, in many cases,...

Photographer Frans Lanting returns to TED for a short reminder of what's happening outside the walls of our beautiful glass box. "Humanity," he says, "takes center stage at TED, but I’d like to add a voice for the animals." Lanting retells a story he once heard from a tribal elder not far from Vancouver, about the animals of the Earth. Th...

The event: TED Salon: Trailblazers, hosted by TED design and arts curator Chee Pearlman and TED science curator David Biello When and where: Thursday, June 27, 2019, at the TED World Theater in New York City The partner: The Macallan Music: Sammy Rae & The Friends The talks in brief: Marcus Bullock, entrepreneur and justic...

When 21-year-old guitar whiz Usman Riaz was growing up in Pakistan, he often found himself entranced by videos of Preston Reed, one of the pioneers of fingerstyle guitar. As a longtime admirer of Reed’s unique rhythms and plucky sounds, Riaz calls the experience of actually sharing a stage with him at TEDGlobal 2012 “very surreal.” “Throu...

We're six weeks into TED2020! For session 6: a celebration of beauty on every level, from planet-trekking feats of engineering to art that deeply examines our past, present, future -- and much more. Elizabeth "Zibi" Turtle, planetary scientist  Big idea: The Dragonfly Mission, set to launch in 2026, will study Titan, the largest moon o...

About this event: Diversity and inclusion are important topics in today's society, and it's great to see them being highlighted in public events. Diversity refers to the differences and unique characteristics that people bring to a group, organization, or society. This can include differences in race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, socioec...

"The ultimate sitting machine." Please be kind -- this is only my first attempt at a tagline for the BMW autonomous vehicle which I just went for a test drive, er, test ride in. Yes, I can proudly say that I've gone for a ride in the future -- and it's smooth enough to eat ramen in. Wait, let me back up (just like a car, get it?). A...

Anyssa Samari finds the interstitials for TED Conferences — the short videos that run between speakers as palate-cleansers. “It’s like a Rubik’s Cube,” she says. “There are a lot of constraints—the videos can't be too long, they need to tell a narrative, they need to be beautiful and they need to fit the theme of the session. Sometimes, it’s ...

About this event: Découvrez des idées et des histoires pour mieux faire émerger les similitudes qui nous rendent humains. Montréal se définit souvent par sa diversité de cultures, groupes et identités. Mais qu'est-ce que tout cela signifie pour nous ? Le 18 février 2020, nous vous invitons à réfléchir à la véritable signification de la diversité et l'inclusion ...

You may think glaringly offensive items have nothing to do with you or your closet. “I would never buy an offensive item or appropriate something from another culture,” you might say. “That’ll never be me.” But it helps to be sure. I’ve seen blond Caucasian women wearing henna hand tattoos or cornrows with dashikis (traditional African caf...

Wedding photographer Charleton Churchill is willing to hike the extra mile, plunge into the depths of caves, and scale the highest peaks (think: Everest) to highlight the splendors of nature -- and ensure his images of couples are just as memorable as the ceremonies themselves. A wedding performs many functions. It grants a new legal status to ...

2019 is starting off big for the TED community -- below, some highlights. Jim Yong Kim resigns from the World Bank. In an unexpected move, Jim Yong Kim announced that he will be stepping down from his position as President of the World Bank by the end of the month. According to The New York Times, he will be joining a development-focused...

Please enjoy your weekly roundup of TED-related news: Good luck and farewell to the Cassini spacecraft. Launched 20 years ago, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft will begin its final mission on April 26.  The spacecraft will embark on a series of 22 dives through the space between Saturn and its rings, transmitting data that may help us understand...

Africa has beautiful stories to tell, says Peace Anyiam-Osigwe. At 16 years old, the Nigerian published her own magazine. She later continued bringing a “voice to voiceless issues” as a talk show host and film producer. Founder of the African Movie Academy Awards, Peace now dedicates her time to building cinemas in rural Africa, and helping ot...

In Ferguson, Missouri, a grand jury will soon decide whether to indict police officer Darren Wilson for killing an unarmed teenager in August. Photojournalist Jon Lowenstein talks about what happened. Soon after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, photojournalist (and TED Fellow) Jon Lowenstein traveled to Ferguson, Missouri, on assignment wit...

Watching more than seventy live, perspective-changing TED Talks back to back for five days straight is nothing to scoff at. Let's be honest: Your brain gets tired. That's why TED's curators program each session with short video breaks to give the mind a rest before the next set of talks. Funny, inspiring, silly, beautiful, here's all the videos ...