Think you know how your body works? Think again! Dr. Jen Gunter is here to shake up everything you thought you knew — from how much water you need to drink to how often you need to poop and everything in between. Join us weekly for this TED original series that will tell you the truth about what's *really* going on inside you. Want to hear more ...
Think you know how your body works? Think again! Dr. Jen Gunter is here to shake up everything you thought you knew — from the science of sleep to figuring out if you really have a food allergy and everything in between. This TED original series will tell you the truth about what's *really* going on inside you. Want to hear more from Dr. Gunter?...
As humans live longer than ever before, we need our implants to last as long as we do, says bioengineer Nina Tandon. Using stem cells and digital fabrication, she's working on growing anatomically precise spare parts for the human body, replacing damaged bones, cartilage and more with implants that fit perfectly and hold up for a lifetime.
TED Fellow Lucy McRae is a body architect -- she imagines ways to merge biology and technology in our own bodies. In this visually stunning talk, she shows her work, from clothes that recreate the body's insides for a music video with pop-star Robyn, to a pill that, when swallowed, lets you sweat perfume.
Visiting the bathroom is part of the daily human experience. But occasionally, constipation, a condition that causes a backup in your digestive system, strikes. In some especially uncomfortable cases, the food you eat can take several days to exit your body. What's behind this unsettling phenomenon? Heba Shaheed takes us into the digestive syste...
Uninvited hair touching, an issue that primarily affects Black women and girls, is an invasion of personal space. To raise awareness of "hair attacks," activist Mena Fombo started the "No, You Cannot Touch My Hair" campaign, showing how unwanted hair touching is an issue that has been and still is rooted in racism. She shares three steps to end ...
Physician-scientist Anna Greka investigates the world's rarest genetic diseases, decoding the secrets of our cells through "molecular detective work." She explains how her team is using new, advanced technology to solve decades-old medical mysteries — and shows how this work could help develop precision treatments for millions of people across t...
From the microbes in our stomachs to the ones on our teeth we are homes to millions of unique and diverse communities which help our bodies function. Jessica Green and Karen Guillemin emphasize the importance of understanding the many organisms that make up each and every organism. [Directed by Celine Keller and Paula Spagnoletti, narrated by Je...
How will AI improve our lives in the years to come? From its inception six decades ago to its recent exponential growth, futurist Ray Kurzweil highlights AI's transformative impact on various fields and explains his prediction for the singularity: the point at which human intelligence merges with machine intelligence.
Between you and the rest of the world lies an interface that makes up 16% of your physical weight. This is your skin, the largest organ in your body: laid out flat, it would cover close to 1.7 square meters of ground. But besides keeping your organs in, what is its purpose? Emma Bryce takes us into the integumentary system to find out. [Directed...
Material scientist Anna Maria Coclite unveils "smart skin" — artificial skin technology that responds to touch, temperature and humidity like your very own. (It's actually even more sensitive than human skin!) From helping burn victims to paving the way to smarter, safer humanoid robots, Coclite highlights the broad-ranging potential of this inn...
Why does losing weight often feel like an uphill battle? Physician Katherine Saunders unpacks how our bodies are wired to store fat, revealing that obesity isn’t simply a lack of willpower — it’s a complex, chronic disease rooted in evolutionary biology. She shares the science behind the latest breakthroughs in treatment, from lifestyle interven...
Can you grow a human bone outside the human body? The answer may soon be yes. Nina Tandon explores the possibility by examining how bones naturally grow inside the body, and illuminating how scientists are hoping to replicate that process in a lab. [Directed by Barry Chapman, narrated by Nina Tandon].
Some of the world's greatest minds swore by the benefits of taking a stroll. Make your next walk better (or even just go for a mental walk in the woods) with these rousing talks.
When does vision loss become blindness? Writer, audio producer and editor Andrew Leland explains how his gradual loss of vision revealed a paradoxical truth about blindness -- and shows why it might have implications for how all of us see the world.
Is embracing your inner teenager the key to thriving in adulthood? Neuroscientist Adriana Galván shares three powerful lessons from decades of research into adolescent brain development, exploring what teens can teach us about embracing uncertainty, challenging the status quo and taking strategic risks — all tools for a bold, brave life.
What if you could transform your anxiety into something you can actually use during your work day? Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki shares two evidence-based activities -- breathing and movement -- that can soothe your nervous system and fuel creativity and connection.
Should I do a juice cleanse? Do I really need eight glasses of water a day? Is it actually possible to "boost" my immune system? You're constantly bombarded with news stories, ads and social media posts telling you how to optimize your health -- but a lot of these sources that pretend to be backed by science have another agenda. Dr. Jen Gunter i...
Eating pizza with a stuffy nose just isn't as satisfying -- and there's a reason for that. Dr. Jen Gunter explains how our ability to smell and taste work together to give us a full sensory experience. So whether you're sniffing the caramelized aroma of coffee, a whiff of trash or a trillion other things, your brain knows exactly what's under yo...
Over the course of her fearless career, extreme action specialist Elizabeth Streb has pushed the limits of the human body. She's jumped through broken glass, toppled from great heights and built gizmos to provide a boost along the way. Backed by footage of her work, Streb reflects on her lifelong quest to defy gravity and fly the only way a huma...
People often mix up food allergies and food intolerances, even though they require completely different medical treatments. Dr. Jen Gunter explains how allergies quickly trigger the immune system, while intolerances disrupt digestion and can sometimes take days to show up. Learn how to spot the difference and get a better understanding of how yo...
Poet, writer, activist Eve Ensler lived in her head. In this powerful talk from TEDWomen, she talks about her lifelong disconnection from her body -- and how two shocking events helped her to connect with the reality, the physicality of being human.
Global obesity rates are on the rise, but body shaming campaigns are doing more harm than good, says medical anthropologist Nancy N. Chen. Reflecting on how the cultural histories of body ideals have changed over time, she offers a new way to view ourselves and our health by enhancing body diversity to close the gap between what's ideal and what...
We're not done with anatomy. We know a tremendous amount about genomics, proteomics and cell biology, but as Diane Kelly makes clear at TEDMED, there are basic facts about the human body we're still learning. Case in point: How does the mammalian erection work?
Can you "boost" your metabolism by exercising more? Well, it's complicated. Diving deep into surprising truths about how the body conserves and expends energy in the form of calories, Dr. Jen Gunter reveals what your metabolism actually does, the role of exercise -- and other things weight loss culture doesn't want you to know. (For more on how ...