TED Theme: The Official TED Talk Guide

There is no single formula for a great talk, but there is a secret ingredient that all the best ones have in common – an idea worth spreading. Watch over 40 talks mentioned in Chris Anderson’s latest book, “TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking”.

Latest Episodes:

A robot that flies like a bird | Markus Fischer Jul 22, 2011

Show notes

Plenty of robots can fly -- but none can fly like a real bird. That is, until Markus Fischer and his team at Festo built SmartBird, a large, lightweight robot, modeled on a seagull, that flies by flapping its wings. A soaring demo fresh from TEDGlobal 2011.

The sound the universe makes | Janna Levin Mar 15, 2011

Show notes

We think of space as a silent place. But physicist Janna Levin says the universe has a soundtrack -- a sonic composition that records some of the most dramatic events in outer space. (Black holes, for instance, bang on spacetime like a drum.) An accessible and mind-expanding soundwalk through the universe.

The power of vulnerability | Brené Brown Dec 23, 2010

Show notes

Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.

In the Internet age, dance evolves ... | The LXD Mar 05, 2010

Show notes

The LXD (the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers) electrify the TED2010 stage with an emerging global street-dance culture, revved up by the Internet. In a preview of Jon Chu's upcoming Web series, this astonishing troupe show off their superpowers.

Teach every child about food | Jamie Oliver Feb 11, 2010

Show notes

Sharing powerful stories from his anti-obesity project in Huntington, West Virginia -- and a shocking image of the sugar we eat -- TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver makes the case for an all-out assault on our ignorance of food.

The puzzle of motivation | Dan Pink Aug 24, 2009

Show notes

Career analyst Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don't: Traditional rewards aren't always as effective as we think. Listen for illuminating stories -- and maybe, a way forward.

How bacteria "talk" | Bonnie Bassler Apr 08, 2009

Show notes

Bonnie Bassler discovered that bacteria "talk" to each other, using a chemical language that lets them coordinate defense and mount attacks. The find has stunning implications for medicine, industry -- and our understanding of ourselves.

Your elusive creative genius | Elizabeth Gilbert Feb 09, 2009

Show notes

Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

Life in the deep oceans | David Gallo Sep 11, 2008

Show notes

With vibrant video clips captured by submarines, David Gallo takes us to some of Earth's darkest, most violent, toxic and beautiful habitats, the valleys and volcanic ridges of the oceans' depths, where life is bizarre, resilient and shockingly abundant.

TED's nonprofit transition | Chris Anderson Jan 30, 2008

Show notes

Chris Anderson gave this talk in 2002, prior to taking over leadership of TED. Co-founder Richard Saul Wurman was leaving, and TED's future was in the balance. He seeks to persuade TEDsters that what was then a for-profit conference had a secure future as an idea-based nonprofit endeavor.