From: TED on Mon, Apr 12 2010 11:16 AM

Vaccine-autism claims, "Frankenfood" bans, the herbal cure craze: All point to the public’s growing fear (and, often, outright denial) of science and reason, says Michael Specter. He warns the trend spells disaster for human progress.

From: TED on Thu, Nov 19 2009 10:59 AM

Devdutt Pattanaik takes an eye-opening look at the myths of India and of the West — and shows how these two fundamentally different sets of beliefs about God, death and heaven help us consistently misunderstand one another.

From: TED on Wed, Sep 30 2009 10:09 AM

Weeks from the Charter for Compassion launch, Karen Armstrong looks at religion’s role in the 21st century: Will its dogmas divide us? Or will it unite us for common good? She reviews the catalysts that can drive the world's faiths to rediscover the Golden Rule.

From: TED on Wed, Jun 17 2009 10:51 AM

Diane Benscoter spent five years as a "Moonie." She shares an insider’s perspective on the mind of a cult member, and proposes a new way to think about today's most troubling conflicts and extremist movements.

From: TED on Tue, Nov 25 2008 9:06 AM

At the Taste3 conference, chef Dan Barber tells the story of a small farm in Spain that has found a humane way to produce foie gras. Raising his geese in a natural environment, farmer Eduardo Sousa embodies the kind of food production Barber believes in.

From: TED on Thu, Nov 13 2008 11:23 AM

Ursus Wehrli shares his vision for a cleaner, more organized, tidier form of art — by deconstructing the paintings of modern masters into their component pieces, sorted by color and size.

From: TED on Fri, Nov 07 2008 10:30 AM

What’s the science behind a sublime perfume? With charm and precision, biophysicist Luca Turin explains the molecular makeup — and the art -- of a scent.

From: TED on Thu, Nov 06 2008 11:16 AM

At the 2008 Serious Play conference, designer Tim Brown talks about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play — with many examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn’t).

From: TED on Tue, Oct 28 2008 10:17 AM

Rives — star of the Bravo special "Ironic Iconic America" -- tells a typographical fairy tale that’s short and bittersweet.

From: TED on Tue, Oct 21 2008 8:35 AM

Humorist John Hodgman rambles through a new story about aliens, physics, time, space and the way all of these somehow contribute to a sweet, perfect memory of falling in love.

From: TED on Wed, Sep 24 2008 8:20 AM

In this deceptively simple 3-minute talk, Dr. Laura Trice muses on the power of the magic words "thank you" — to deepen a friendship, to repair a bond, to make sure another person knows what they mean to you. Try it.

From: TED on Thu, Aug 21 2008 8:45 AM

Speaking at the 2007 EG conference, trainer Ian Dunbar asks us to see the world through the eyes of our beloved dogs. By knowing our pets' perspective, we can build their love and trust. It’s a message that resonates well beyond the animal world.

From: TED on Tue, Jul 15 2008 9:59 AM

Why do we crave love so much, even to the point that we would die for it? To learn more about our very real, very physical need for romantic love, Helen Fisher and her research team took MRIs of people in love — and people who had just been dumped.

From: TED on Tue, Jun 24 2008 10:34 AM

Richard Dawkins urges all atheists to openly state their position — and to fight the incursion of the church into politics and science. A fiery, funny, powerful talk.

From: TED on Tue, Jun 24 2008 10:34 AM

Philosopher Dan Dennett calls for religion — all religion -- to be taught in schools, so we can understand its nature as a natural phenomenon. Then he takes on The Purpose-Driven Life, disputing its claim that, to be moral, one must deny evolution.

From: TED on Tue, Jun 24 2008 10:16 AM

In this fiery and funny talk, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman weighs in on what’s wrong with the way we eat now (too much meat, too few plants; too much fast food, too little home cooking), and why it's putting the entire planet at risk.

From: TED on Tue, Jun 24 2008 10:16 AM

Lakshmi Pratury remembers the lost art of letter-writing and shares a series of notes her father wrote to her before he died. Her short but heartfelt talk may inspire you to set pen to paper, too.

From: TED on Tue, Jun 24 2008 10:16 AM

Psychologist Barry Schwartz takes aim at a central tenet of western societies: freedom of choice. In Schwartz’s estimation, choice has made us not freer but more paralyzed, not happier but more dissatisfied.

From: TED on Tue, Jun 24 2008 10:16 AM

Journalist Carl Honore believes the Western world’s emphasis on speed erodes health, productivity and quality of life. But there's a backlash brewing, as everyday people start putting the brakes on their all-too-modern lives.

From: TED on Tue, Jun 24 2008 10:16 AM

Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry’s pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce — and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness.