What is altruism? Put simply, it's the wish that other people may be happy. And, says Matthieu Ricard, a happiness researcher and a Buddhist monk, altruism is also a great lens for making decisions, both for the short and long term, in work and in life.

If you're lucky enough to live without want, it's a natural impulse to be altruistic to others. But, asks philosopher Peter Singer, what's the most effective way to give? He talks through some surprising thought experiments to help you balance emotion and practicality -- and make the biggest impact with whatever you can share. NOTE: Starting at ...

Compassion is a balancing act — something that must actively practiced in order to thrive. Learn to foster altruism and compassion in your communities with these quiet, yet powerful talks.

Sometimes it’s easy to think the worst of human beings. But these inspiring talks can help you remember: altruism, kindness and helping hands are all around.

What are our screens and devices doing to us? Psychologist Adam Alter studies how much time screens steal from us and how they're getting away with it. He shares why all those hours you spend staring at your smartphone, tablet or computer might be making you miserable -- and what you can do about it.

Of all the problems facing humanity, which should we focus on solving first? In a compelling talk about how to make the world better, moral philosopher Will MacAskill provides a framework for answering this question based on the philosophy of "effective altruism" -- and shares ideas for taking on three pressing global issues.

How can we harness the power of superintelligent AI while also preventing the catastrophe of robotic takeover? As we move closer toward creating all-knowing machines, AI pioneer Stuart Russell is working on something a bit different: robots with uncertainty. Hear his vision for human-compatible AI that can solve problems using common sense, altr...

To get out of the mess we're in, we need a new story that explains the present and guides the future, says author George Monbiot. Drawing on findings from psychology, neuroscience and evolutionary biology, he offers a new vision for society built around our fundamental capacity for altruism and cooperation. This contagiously optimistic talk will...

Sixty-five million people were displaced from their homes by conflict and disaster in 2016. It's not just a crisis; it's a test of who we are and what we stand for, says David Miliband -- and each of us has a personal responsibility to help solve it. In this must-watch talk, Miliband gives us specific, tangible ways to help refugees and turn emp...

Bacteria "talk" to each other, sending chemical information to coordinate attacks. What if we could listen to what they were saying? Nanophysicist Fatima AlZahra'a Alatraktchi invented a tool to spy on bacterial chatter and translate their secret communication into human language. Her work could pave the way for early diagnosis of disease -- bef...

To have screen time, or to not have screen time? These talks duke out the good and bad of our everyday tech.

Ryan Coogler, director of "Creed" and "Fruitvale Station," picks his 6 favorite talks.

These speakers offer beautiful, sweeping, simple life advice — the kind to tuck in the back of your mind and let inspire you onward.

Imagine that your life began as one of the planet's first humans. After dying, you're reincarnated as the second human ever to live. You then return as the third person, the fourth, the fifth, and so on – living the lives of every human that's ever walked the Earth. How will your actions in one life impact your future selves? Explore the ethics ...

We all feel stuck sometimes — whether it's on a creative project, in a job where we feel like we've plateaued, or in a mental state we just can't seem to shake out of. These talks may help give you that jolt.

Neuroscientist Molly Crockett studies altruism, morality and value-based decision-making in humans.

At the beck and call of your technology's beeps and buzzes? Let these talks inspire you to step back from your screen and engage with the immediate world around you.

The little things that you (yes, you) can do now (yes, now) to make a difference.

What makes us incessantly check our phones? Adam Alter dives into the fascinating psychology that drives our tech addictions.

What we do (and don't) know about viruses, pandemics and the vaccines that combat them.

Will MacAskill is a cofounder of the effective altruism movement, a philosophy that tries to answer the question: How can we do as much good as possible?

Erez Yoeli's research focuses on altruism: understanding how it works and how to promote it.

What a year! These 14 talks challenged our perceptions of love, happiness, what the future will hold ... and, um, the very nature of reality itself.

The same resolutions every year -- get more sleep, eat healthier -- we know the drill. Let these talks inspire you to keep with those goals and perhaps add a few more to your list too.

Moral philosopher Peter Singer starts the last session of TED2013, "A Ripple Effect?" with a shocking video of a 2-year-old girl in China who was hit by a van -- and then a second van -- and ignored by passers-by as she lay dying in an alley. He asks of the audience: Would you have stopped and helped this girl? Not surprisingly, the unanimou...

Fatima AlZahra'a Alatraktchi invented a method to spy on the social behavior and communication of bacteria.

Paul Piff studies how social hierarchy, inequality and emotion shape relations between individuals and groups.

About this event: Christmas is approaching and we are entering the phase of love, kindness and altruism. But what is altruism? Put simply, it’s the wish that other people may be happy. And, says Matthieu Ricard, a happiness researcher and a Buddhist monk, altruism is also a great lens for making decisions, both for the short and long term, in work and in life. In...

About this event: This event is about altruism and youth cultural diplomacy. The presenters have researched the two topics for the past three years. They are to present their findings of their research and share them with their juniors.

One of Google's earliest engineers, Chade-Meng Tan is now Google's Jolly Good Fellow -- the head of personal growth at the groundbreaking search company.