Powerful, gripping personal narratives that shed light on what it means to live in some of the world’s most dangerous and volatile regions.

Beautiful, intimate and ultimately uplifting stories of challenge -- from making a new home in a strange country, to rebuilding life after unthinkable tragedy.

Cynthia Breazeal wonders: Why can we use robots on Mars, but not in our living rooms? The key, she says, is in training robots to interact with people. Now she dreams up and builds robots that teach, learn -- and play. Watch for amazing demo footage of a new interactive game for kids.

Speaking to an audience of students, US First Lady Michelle Obama reminds each one to take their education seriously -- and never take it for granted. This new, brilliant generation, she tells us, is the one that could close the gap between the world as it is and the world as it should be.

Twenty-somethings rejoice! From personal finance to finding your passion, these TED Talks can help you through your (first, second and possibly third) quarter-life crisis.

Powerful, personal stories of sharing one's true identity with the world.

Curl up and listen to some of the most intimate, and compelling personal stories shared on the TED stage.

Brave, personal stories of people who make bold moves to claim a better life.

About this talk: If you could guarantee that your child would avoid inheriting a serious condition, such as blindness, would you do it? Alastair O'Neill describes the wrenching decisions involved, now that science can pre-screen healthy embryos.

From improving vaccines to modifying crops to solving crimes, DNA technology has transformed our world. Now, for the first time in history, anyone can experiment with DNA at home, in their kitchen, using a device smaller than a shoebox. We are living in a personal DNA revolution, says biotech entrepreneur Sebastian Kraves, where the secrets buri...

Millions of baby boomers are moving into their senior years with empty pockets and declining choices to earn a living. And right behind them is a younger generation facing the same challenges. In this deeply personal talk, author Elizabeth White opens up an honest conversation about financial trouble and offers practical advice for how to live a...

No one takes the same life path to personal success. These talks can help you examine and identify the unique passions and perspectives that make you, you.

Why create? Artists and designers share their work, their process and their vision in these deeply personal -- and often hilarious -- talks.

The pain of personal loss, war and conflict is universal. These speakers share large and small ways to remember those lost even long after they're gone.

About this talk: Philip Krinks was happy and successful in his job as a management consultant. He was challenged and passionate about the work. But something was missing. Was this career being true to his personal mission? Krinks drew on a reflective walk in the country and embarked on a larger journey that led from a corporate job to a post as ...

In her book "The Defining Decade," Meg Jay suggests that many twentysomethings feel trivialized during what is actually the most transformative — and defining — period of our adult lives.

About this talk: Whether buying a bottle of wine, making an online purchase or going to a movie, most of us share far more information than is necessary: birthdates, credit card numbers, addresses. At a time when our personal information is at risk every day, cryptographer Dr. Maria Dubovitskaya is part of a team which has designed a system that...

These moving, personal talks share stories of love and commitment in the LGBTQ community.

Not since World War II have so many people been forcibly displaced by war and persecution. Talks on why it's important to help refugees thrive, and personal stories of starting over.

Amy Purdy became a professional snowboarder despite losing both her legs to meningitis. She encourages us to take control of our lives, and our limits.

Soap operas and telenovelas may be (ahem) overdramatic, but as Kate Adams shows us, their exaggerated stories and characters often cast light on the problems of real life. In this sparkling, funny talk, Adams, a former assistant casting director for "As the World Turns," shares four lessons for life and business that we can learn from melodramas.

Amid a rise in bullying and a rash of teen suicides, politician Joel Burns spoke up at an otherwise ordinary city council meeting and delivered a powerful message to teens tormented for being gay.

Neil Pasricha is the New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Equation and serves as the Director of the Institute for Global Happiness after a decade running leadership development inside Walmart. He is one the world's leading authorities on happiness and positivity.

The former editor-in-chief of Ms., Robin Morgan published the classic "Sisterhood Is Powerful" anthologies.

In her book "The Power of Meaning," Emily Esfahani Smith rounds up the latest research -- and the stories of fascinating people she interviewed -- to argue that the search for meaning is far more fulfilling than the pursuit of personal happiness.

Stacey Kramer offers a moving, personal, 3-minute parable that shows how an unwanted experience -- frightening, traumatic, costly -- can turn out to be a priceless gift.

What can be accomplished in one year? These speakers tried something for 365 days and reported back.

Feel like you can’t recover from a major setback? Let these talks remind you that this is not the end -- there is much more left to your story.

These talks drive home the many different ways to get better at what you care about.

There is much to learn in death as there is in life. An intimate look at the wisdom that is forged from deep loss.