Think twice when picking what pasta you want for dinner. The shape of your noodle makes a difference, explains Paola Antonelli, senior curator at The Museum of Modern Art.

Author A.J. Jacobs shows how the coffee cup lid was perfectly designed to give you a full sensory experience while drinking. This video was inspired by the original work of Louise Harpman and Scott Specht and their book "Coffee Lids: Peel, Pinch, Pucker, Puncture."

"Everything that we think of as world history would not have taken place without the compass." TED science curator David Biello explains how the device changed our relationship to the world.

Glasses were originally created to overcome physical obstacles, but design evangelist Debbie Millman shares how they turned into a fashion statement.

Author Jennifer 8. Lee explains how the chopstick spread from the East to the West -- and was designed to give you the perfect bite.

Despite the rise of e-books, physical books aren't going anywhere. Graphic designer Chip Kidd shares why their design is so lasting.

The Afro pick is much more than a styling tool. It's a major player in Black history, explains artist Jon Gray.

Here's how the surfboard changed our relationship to water, according to fuseproject founder Yves Béhar.

Design legend Michael Bierut tells the story of the accidental success of one of the most famous maps in the world -- the London Tube Map.

The hoodie is a lot more than just a comfy sweatshirt. Design curator Paola Antonelli takes us through its history.

Why are pencils shaped like hexagons, and how did they get their iconic yellow color? Pencil shop owner Caroline Weaver takes us inside the fascinating history of the pencil.

The progress bar makes waiting more exciting... and mitigates our fear of death. Journalist Daniel Engber explores how it came into existence.

"Down down, baby, down down the roller coaster..." Hip-hop owes a lot to the queens of double dutch. Ethnomusicologist Kyra Gaunt takes us on a tour of the fascinating history of the jump rope.

How the simple button changed the world, according to fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi.

Stairs don't just get you from point A to point B. Architect David Rockwell explains how they shape your movement -- and your feelings.

The hyperlink is the LEGO block of the internet. Here's the bizarre history of how it came to be, as told by user experience master Margaret Gould Stewart.