What if we could better understand the world's biggest challenges simply by looking at a map? Jack Dangermond, a pioneer in geographic information system (GIS) technology that powers the digital maps people around the world use every day, speaks with TED technology curator Simone Ross about how his team is building a geospatial nervous system: a...

Why do teenagers sometimes make outrageous, risky choices? Do they suddenly become reckless, or are they just going through a natural phase? To find out, Kashfia Rahman -- winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (and a Harvard freshman) -- designed and conducted an experiment to test how high school students respond to and...

In the United States, two institutions guide teenagers on the journey to adulthood: college and prison. Sociologist Alice Goffman spent six years in a troubled Philadelphia neighborhood and saw first-hand how teenagers of African-American and Latino backgrounds are funneled down the path to prison — sometimes starting with relatively minor infra...

Why do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups? Cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically "teenage" behavior is caused by the growing and developing brain.

When Nancy Lublin started texting teenagers to help with her social advocacy organization, what she found was shocking -- they started texting back about their own problems, from bullying to depression to abuse. So she's setting up a text-only crisis line, and the results might be even more important than she expected.

Mind-blowing tech is right around the corner -- and the data to power it is here and now. Get an awe-inspiring look at the future that awaits with visionaries already predicting, embracing and innovating on the potential of tomorrow. (Curated in partnership with NetApp)

"The free, online, mainstream pornography that teenagers are most likely to see is a completely terrible form of sex education," says public health researcher Emily F. Rothman. She shares how her mission to end dating and sexual violence led her to create a pornography literacy program that helps teens learn about consent and respect -- and invi...

Jack Dangermond cofounded ESRI and believes that geospatial thinking will help us preserve the health of the Earth’s complex systems.

With her team of storytellers, organizers and policy experts, Nisha Anand works at the intersection of criminal justice reform, green economics and tech equity to develop cutting-edge solutions to our toughest problems.

Erin Sullivan believes that the magic in this world can be communicated through images that blend art and science.

Boston University professor Emily F. Rothman is a leading public health scholar on sexually explicit media and its impact on adolescent dating relationships.

Dentist-turned-photographer Phil Borges documents the world's disappearing cultures, capturing portraits of exiled Tibetan monks and many of the world’s embattled tribal and indigenous cultures.

Dean Kamen landed in the limelight with the Segway, but he has been innovating since high school, with more than 150 patents under his belt. Recent projects include portable energy and water purification for the developing world, and a prosthetic arm for maimed soldiers.

Ellen Støkken Dahl is spreading medical expertise and enthusiasm for sexual health as a teacher for teenagers, sex workers and refugees.

Nina Dølvik Brochmann, M.D. wants to empower women through good sexual education.

When McKenna Pope was 13 she petitioned Hasbro to market its Easy-Bake Oven to boys as well as girls, and to make it available in gender-neutral colors. It worked.

Teenagers can sometimes feel like a different species. According to neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who gave this fascinating talk at TEDGlobal 2012, this isn’t a coincidence. While 15 years ago it was assumed that brain development was completed in childhood, scientists now know that the brain continues to develop through a person’s 20s...

Akash Manoj developed a novel technique that can non-invasively detect and alert at-risk patients of a potential asymptomatic heart-attack.

Over 85 percent of all pancreatic cancers are diagnosed late, when someone has less than two percent chance of survival. How could this be? Jack Andraka talks about how he developed a promising early detection test for pancreatic cancer that's super cheap, effective and non-invasive -- all before his 16th birthday.

Julie Lythcott-Haims speaks and writes on the phenomenon of helicopter parenting and the dangers of a checklisted childhood -- the subject of her book, "How to Raise an Adult."

Jessica Kerr has been fascinated by the role of judges in society for over a decade, and increasingly concerned by the shroud of mystery that surrounds them.

About this event: Our event will focus on issues in the relatively conservative South Korean society that we as teenagers feel like we need to hear more about.

Kevin B. Jones is a life-long student of human nature, fascinated most by the decision-making capacity intrinsic to each of us.

About this event: This event will be focused on TED Talks done by teenagers! Drop in, watch, and participate in the conversation!

About this event: In China, teenagers don't have many opportunities to get full access of information because government censors almost everything. Hence they are always pushed to believe certain false opinions and misinformation. This environment has diminished the space for teenagers to think by themselves. Many times they think something must be right simply b...

Swedish duo First Aid Kit take multi-genre inspiration from folk, country and the classic singer-songwriters of the ’60s and ’70s.

About this event: Nowadays, more and more students, especially in China, are engaged in heavy schoolwork. The tedious schoolwork in some ways restricts teenagers' innovative ideas. The theme "Update Your Mind" just means take antique ideas away from teenagers' minds and replace them by the most innovative thoughts. The speakers are eager to share their own opinio...

About this event: Invite 6 speakers in total from different field aged 10~30 to introduce to high school students a widen horizon of life choice, experience, creation, belief, and style. In order to make the teenagers the future promising youth to embrace a wider prospective of the world.

About this event: How has the world changed? How are we changing history, scientific discoveries, the humanitarian aspects, the power of self, and the world religions? How are these things affecting the world in turn? Time to learn more about the world, especially for teenagers—the future world leaders!

Mia Birdsong advocates for strong communities and the self-determination of everyday people.