Ideas worth spreading

Humanity's search for cosmic truth and poetic beauty

1,803,042 views |

Maria Popova |

TEDWomen 2021

• December 2021

Linking together the histories of Henrietta Swan Leavitt, Edwin Hubble and Tracy K. Smith, poet and thinker Maria Popova crafts an astonishing story of how humanity came to see the edge of the observable universe. (Followed by an animated excerpt of "My God, It's Full of Stars," by Tracy K. Smith)

Linking together the histories of Henrietta Swan Leavitt, Edwin Hubble and Tracy K. Smith, poet and thinker Maria Popova crafts an astonishing story of how humanity came to see the edge of the observable universe. (Followed by an animated excerpt of "My God, It's Full of Stars," by Tracy K. Smith)

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Maria Popova

See speaker profile

Maria Popova thinks and writes about science and art, poetry and philosophy, children's books and our search for meaning -- about what it means to live a decent, inspired, substantive life of purpose and gladness, wonder-smitten by reality.

| Explore

The Universe in Verse

A celebration of the wonder of reality through stories of science winged with poetry.

| Explore

The Marginalian

Marginalia on our search for meaning.

Maria Popova | Pantheon, 2019 | Book

On Being, 2018 | Listen

"Tracy K. Smith: Love Is a Language"

Tracy K. Smith | Graywolf Press, 2011 | Book

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.