Ideas worth spreading

History

A collection of TED Talks (and more) on the topic of History.

Video playlists about History

The most popular talks of 2020

What ideas captured people's attention and took off the quickest in 2020? Here are the talks that intrigued and propelled us to the end of this world-shifting year.

Little-known big history

A collection of histories textbooks leave out.

Theories of evolution

The enduring ideas, discoveries and observations that define and expand life as we know it.

Reclaim the past, save the future

How do we look forward without knowing where we come from? These talks emphasize the importance of historical truths, nuanced observations and preserving cultural heritage.

See all playlists on History

Talks about History

What did people do before anesthesia?

David M. Howard

Can we recreate the voice of a 3,000-year-old mummy?

The dinosaur detectives of real-life Jurassic parks

Joëlle Rollo-Koster

Why were there three popes at the same time?

Stephanie Honchell Smith

The rise and fall of the Mughal Empire

Why are schools more segregated now than in the 1980s?

Audra A. Diptée

Why did the British Empire burn, sink, and hide these documents?

Can zoos actually save species from extinction?

The story that shapes your relationship with nature

How modern audiences can talk about aging art

Why do we eat popcorn at the movies?

Stephanie Honchell Smith

Whatever happened to the hole in the ozone layer?

Prosanta Chakrabarty

The new natural history

Chinyanta Kabaso

The dazzling diversity of African dance -- in 14 moves

Lindsey A. Sherrill

Are you an ethical true crime fan? 4 questions to ask

The most important century in human history

See all talks on History

Exclusive articles about History

8 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders whose innovations have changed your life (really!)

Can you name a notable Asian-American or Pacific Islander scientist, inventor or entrepreneur? Don't worry -- after reading this article, you should have no problems remembering some.

Posted May 2021

How did the human heart become associated with love? And how did it turn into the shape we know today?

We see the familiar symbol everywhere -- in text messages, signs, cakes, clothing, and more. But we also know the real heart looks nothing like it. Historian Marilyn Yalom tells us how the anatomical organ became the symbol that we all know today.

Posted Feb 2019

A mobile documentary asks: What if Martin Luther King, Eartha Kitt and others were on Facebook in 1968?

In journalist Mikhail Zygar’s innovative series, you can watch the events of that momentous year come to vibrant life on your phone in weekly episodes.

Posted May 2018

See all articles on History