These eye-opening talks call into question some of the popular misconceptions, fallacies and exaggerated rumors of modern civilization.

These essential talks delve into the intricacies of feminism, examining everyday realities in the pursuit of equality.

Observe our modern times through the lens of art history with these compelling, masterful talks.

An exploration of faith’s place in our current, tumultuous times.

Modern politics turns you off? Here’s how to reconnect — and take charge of your world.

The euphonium, with its sweet brass sound, is rarely heard outside of traditional brass bands. Cutting loose on the euph, prodigy Matthew White performs Nat McIntosh's hip-hop-inflected "The Warrior Comes Out to Play."

In many democratic countries, charismatic leaders vilify political opponents, disparage institutions, and claim to be for the people. Some critics label this approach as authoritarian or fascist, while others argue that these leaders are manipulating voters. This style of politics goes by the name of populism. Takis S. Pappas explores the phenom...

These talk unpack the different problems, solutions and experiences we're facing in our modern world of bullying – both on and offline.

Reed Kroloff gives us a new lens for judging new architecture: is it modern, or is it romantic? Look for glorious images from two leading practices -- and a blistering critique of the 9/11 planning process.

Want a different perspective of the world? Get a better, more friendly grasp of statistics -- one of the most understood and misused tools in modern society.

In the 1940s, cancer was a condition shrouded in fear and denial, rarely discussed in public. Now there's a healthy public discourse and billions of dollars in research funding dedicated to it. In this talk, writer and microbiologist Dr. Nathalia Holt describes how a landmark 1940s PR campaign helped prompt that paradigm shift. "Changing how a d...

In this moving yet pragmatic talk, Kevin Bales explains the business of modern slavery, a multibillion-dollar economy that underpins some of the worst industries on earth. He shares stats and personal stories from his on-the-ground research -- and names the price of freeing every slave on earth right now.

Astronomers once gazed upon the night sky and counted every star in the galaxy by hand. The process has evolved since then, but the thirst for celestial knowledge remains the same. Join astrophysicist Emily Levesque for an anecdote-rich jaunt through the technological history of photographing the cosmos and learn about the one constant that make...

Photographer Lisa Kristine travels the world documenting the unbearably harsh realities of modern-day slavery. She shares hauntingly beautiful images -- miners in the Congo, bricklayers in Nepal -- that illuminate the plight of the 27 million souls enslaved worldwide.

The three Ahn sisters (cellist Maria, pianist Lucia, violinist Angella) breathe new life into the piano trio with their passionate musicmaking. At TEDWomen, they start with the bright and poppy "Skylife," by David Balakrishnan, then play a gorgeous, slinky version of "Oblivion," by Astor Piazzolla.

In this eye-opening talk, digital rights expert Kathy Kleiman describes her efforts to uncover the hidden story behind an old photograph she found as an undergraduate researcher. Despite showing both men and women working on the groundbreaking Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) in 1946, the caption only named the men. What foll...

Ndidi Nwuneli has advice for Africans who believe in God -- and Africans who don't. To the religious, she advises against using God to outsource responsibility for what happens in their lives. To the non-religious, she asks that they keep an open mind and work with faith-based organizations, especially on issues like health care and education. "...

To look at the evolution of modern bird feathers, we must start a long time ago, with the dinosaurs from whence they came. We see early incarnations of feathers on dinosaur fossils, and remnants of dinosaurs in a bird's wish bone. Carl Zimmer explores the stages of evolution and how even the reasons for feathers have evolved over millions of yea...

Behold, courage. These speakers have the fortitude to stand up to some of the world's greatest injustices.

Fascinating, little-known stories about some of the biggest happenings in history.

For the longest time, doctors basically ignored the most basic and frustrating part of being sick -- pain. In this lyrical, informative talk, Latif Nasser tells the extraordinary story of wrestler and doctor John J. Bonica, who persuaded the medical profession to take pain seriously -- and transformed the lives of millions.

Wayne McGregor and his dancers explore the uncharted territory where mind and movement intersect.

These talks will shake you awake to the world around you.

In ancient times, wildcats were fierce carnivorous hunters. And unlike dogs, who have undergone centuries of selective breeding, modern cats are genetically very similar to ancient cats. How did these solitary, fierce predators become our sofa sidekicks? Eva-Maria Geigl traces the domestication of the modern house cat. [Directed by Chintis Lundg...

From Chopin to Handel and everything in between -- immerse yourself in the world of classical music.

When Nicolas Bourbaki applied to the American Mathematical Society in the 1950s, he was already one of the most influential mathematicians of his time. He'd published articles in international journals and his textbooks were required reading. Yet his application was firmly rejected for one simple reason: Nicolas Bourbaki did not exist. How is th...

When you’re just too busy to curl up with a good book, these talks bring the beauty of literature in audio form.

In the 16th century, physician Andreas Vesalius described how a suffocating animal could be kept alive by inserting a tube into its trachea and blowing air to inflate its lungs. Today, Vesalius's treatise is recognized as the first description of mechanical ventilation— a crucial practice in modern medicine. So how do our modern ventilators work...

We've cued up two hours of live music straight from the TED stage. Listen for a wide range of virtuoso musicians -- on some very surprising instruments ...

Singer-songwriter Rokia Traore performs "Kounandi," a breathtaking song that blends Malian instruments with a modern, heartfelt vocal. Note: This song is not available for download.