NPR/TED Staff

Why do we fixate on the negative? Why do setbacks stick in our minds for so long? Alison Ledgerwood shares ideas on how we can change our thinking patterns to reframe setbacks in a positive light.

We've always thought the ability to create art is a uniquely human trait—but Steve Engels disagrees. He explores how AI is learning to master human tasks... including artistic ones.

In 2006, Helen Marriage convinced London officials to let a 40-foot elephant puppet parade through the streets. The result? Four magical days that sparked the imaginations of one million people.

How can a broken piano, an ugly font, or a disrupted commute spark creativity? Tim Harford explores what happens when we allow obstacles to fuel our creativity instead of hindering it.

What if multitasking is a key to creativity, rather than a bad habit? Tim Harford explains how great minds like Darwin and Einstein multitasked for decades to unlock their biggest ideas.

If you're experiencing a creative block or feeling uninspired, Marily Oppezzo has a solution: take a walk. She explains how walking helps us to get out of our heads and generate out-of-the-box ideas.

Sarah Corbett describes herself as an extreme introvert — but she's also an activist. She discusses how alternate forms of activism allow people like her to participate in quietly powerful ways.

As a lifelong activist, Dolores Huerta has learned how to use her voice to fight for social justice. She discusses the power that all of us have to demand justice and spark movements for change.

How do our present thoughts and actions affect the future? Futurist Angela Oguntala shares ideas on how imagining the future we want to see is the first step toward achieving it.

At 17, Ruby Sales witnessed the shooting of one of her fellow civil rights activists. She explains how despite the trauma, she went on to devote her life to fighting for social and racial justice.

In the digital age, the power of the collective has led to movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. Jeremy Heimans discusses how we can continue to use "new power" to drive activism.

Brittney Cooper reflects on racism, the history of time—and who owns it. She argues that for people of color, time has been stolen. In order to move forward, we must first acknowledge the past.

Black girls are disproportionately punished more often in schools. Monique Morris says schools should be a place for healing rather than punishment to help black girls reach their full potential.

What does racial literacy look like in today's social climate? Howard Stevenson talks about navigating racially stressful encounters, and how it's actually an acquired skill-set.

Sports is supposed to be "the great equalizer," but Pat Ferrucci says the language sports journalists use often stereotypes athletes by race. He says acknowledging this is one step toward changing it.

Travis Jones examines the "codes of whiteness" that keep many people from engaging in conversations on race. He says white people need to take a more active role in confronting racism.

The world is full of recurring patterns based on math. Math teacher Eddie Woo explains why human beings are naturally drawn to patterns and how we can use math to engage with our complex world.

Adam Spencer is fascinated by prime numbers. These seemingly simple numbers can be found in monster sizes—the latest being almost 25 million digits long.

Dan Finkel says math is often taught as a series of rigid steps—which can be intimidating. Instead, he wants kids to see the fun, creative side of math that leads to deep learning and discovery.

Why do so many teen girls lose interest in math? Phylecia Jones explores how we can get more women involved in STEM by starting with a simple idea: tell every girl in your life she's great at math.