Physicist Brian Greene explains superstring theory, the idea that minscule strands of energy vibrating in 11 dimensions create every particle and force in the universe.

Allan Adams is a theoretical physicist working at the intersection of fluid dynamics, quantum field theory and string theory.

From string theory to geopolitics, neuroscience to tissue engineering, watch these talks that make complex topics more understandable.

After astonishing success as a mathematician, code breaker and billionaire hedge fund manager, Jim Simons is mastering yet another field: philanthropy.

Armed with a sense of humor and laypeople's terms, Nobel winner Murray Gell-Mann drops some knowledge on TEDsters about particle physics, asking questions like, Are elegant equations more likely to be right than inelegant ones?

Stephen Wolfram, creator of Mathematica, talks about his quest to make all knowledge computational -- able to be searched, processed and manipulated. His new search engine, Wolfram Alpha, has no lesser goal than to model and explain the physics underlying the universe.

In keeping with the theme of TED2008, professor Stephen Hawking asks some Big Questions about our universe -- How did the universe begin? How did life begin? Are we alone? -- and discusses how we might go about answering them.

Cosmologist Sean Carroll attacks -- in an entertaining and thought-provoking tour through the nature of time and the universe -- a deceptively simple question: Why does time exist at all? The potential answers point to a surprising view of the nature of the universe, and our place in it.

Zoom in -- way, way in -- to look at the world from speck's-eye view. Learn about very tiny insects, the world at the nanoscale, and sculptures so small it's best to hold your breath while viewing.

Leonard Susskind works on string theory, quantum field theory, quantum statistical mechanics and quantum cosmology at Stanford.

Is there more than one universe? In this visually rich, action-packed talk, Brian Greene shows how the unanswered questions of physics (starting with a big one: What caused the Big Bang?) have led to the theory that our own universe is just one of many in the "multiverse."

Physicist Lee Smolin talks about how the scientific community works: as he puts it, "we fight and argue as hard as we can," but everyone accepts that the next generation of scientists will decide who's right. And, he says, that's how democracy works, too.

The biggest surprise of discovering the Higgs boson? That there were no surprises. Gian Giudice talks us through a problem in theoretical physics: what if the Higgs field exists in an ultra-dense state that could mean the collapse of all atomic matter? With wit and charm, Giudice outlines a grim fate -- and why we shouldn't start worrying just yet.

"Rock-star physicist" Brian Cox talks about his work on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Discussing the biggest of big science in an engaging, accessible way, Cox brings us along on a tour of the massive project.

Anika Paulson’s love for music permeates her understanding of herself, her surroundings and the mysteries that make up the smallest and biggest parts of life.

Why is there something rather than nothing? In his book "Why Does the World Exist?" Jim Holt dares to ask.

About this event: In the heart of Vietnam, a vibrant tapestry of ideas is about to unfold. TEDxSedbergh School Vietnam Youth: The Red String Theory invites you to explore the intricate connections that shape our world. What is the Red String Theory? In ancient folklore, the Red String Theory posits that an invisible red thread connects those destined to meet. I...

Lee Smolin is a theoretical physicist, working mainly in the field of quantum gravity. He's a founding member of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada, and the author of The Trouble With Physics.

TED curator Chris Anderson shares his obsession with questions that no one (yet) knows the answers to. A short intro leads into two questions: Why can't we see evidence of alien life? And how many universes are there?

About this event: a couple of TED Talks focused on a specific theme, different in every session, will spark debate among a small group of people. Every last wednesday. This time we have discuss string theory. The debate facilitator has been Luis Cuesta, director of AstroBiology department at CSIC.

About this event: TEDxSTRINGTHEORYSCHOOLS at its heart, represents the DNA of our city. We are an arts and science city; home to Benjamin Franklin, Grace Kelly, and Will Smith. String Theory Schools, a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Educational Facility, embodies our theme for this years TEDx. “The Art of Science, the Science of Art.”

Photo: James Duncan Davidson Superstring theorist and physicist and the co-founder of the World Science Festival, Brian Greene splits his visually rich, action-packed talk into three distinct sections, all in the name of convincing us of the existence of the multiverse, the possibility that way beyond the earth, the milky way, we'll find ...

In TIME’s end-of-the-year “New Space Discoveries” special, the magazine picked “The 25 Most Influential People in Space” -- from telescope innovators to planet hunters. Of those included in the list, we couldn’t help but notice that five had given TED Talks. Below, check out what each had to say on the TED stage. 1. Andrea Ghez on “the h...

Humans, ever-meaning-making creatures, will never cease to wonder: Why are things the way they are? Why do I think the way I do? And what does it all mean? Welcome to Session 7 of TED2014, in which speakers will ask big questions about how we -- and the world -- work. Here are the speakers who appeared in this session. Click below to read...

For the past 59 years, the European Organization for Nuclear Research -- better known as CERN -- has been a nucleus of innovation, bringing us both the World Wide Web in 1983 and last year's discovery of what appears to be the Higgs boson. Today, CERN will host its first TEDx event, with speakers ranging from Nobel Prize laureate astrophysicist ...

TED Studies, created in collaboration with Wiley, are curated video collections — supplemented by rich educational materials — for students, educators and self-guided learners. The Edge of Knowledge explores the fascinating implications of some of science's most perplexing theories: quantum mechanics, general relativity and attempts to unify the...

TED Talks are available in 102 languages, from Albanian to Vietnamese, thanks to the tireless work of our volunteer translators. So far, more than 10,000 volunteers have created upwards of 44,000 talk translations — and today, the TED Blog brings you a Q&A with one of them. Here, meet Wataru Narita of Tokyo, Japan. 1. What do you do b...

Written by the educators who created The Edge of Knowledge, a brief look at the key facts, tough questions and big ideas in their field. Begin this TED Study with a fascinating read that gives context and clarity to the material. Particle physicists are nothing if not ambitious. And the aim of particle physics is to understand what everything's ...

In our era of the patient-as-data-point, Abraham Verghese believes in the old-fashioned physical exam, the bedside chat, the power of informed observation.

In a presentation that can only be described as epic, comedian Charles Fleischer delivers a hysterical send-up of a time-honored TED theme: the map. Geometry, numbers, charts and stamp art also factor in (somehow), as he weaves together a unique theory of everything called "Moleeds."