NPR/TED Staff

Sharing cases from her international legal practice, Kimberley Motley, an American litigator practicing in Afghanistan, shows how a country's laws can bring both justice and "justness."

Pico Iyer says sitting still and reflecting is hard work, but we bring so much more to our experiences and relationships when we make time to think.

In a culture where being social and outgoing are celebrated, it can be difficult to be an introvert. Susan Cain argues introverts bring extraordinary talents to the world, and should be celebrated.

For almost three decades, John Francis has been a planetwalker, traveling the globe by foot and sail with a silent message of environmental responsibility. For 17 years he didn't speak a word.

Megan Washington is one of Australia's most popular singer-songwriters, and since childhood she has had a stutter. She discusses how she finds quiet and serenity in singing.

For almost three decades, John Francis has been a planetwalker, traveling the globe by foot and sail with a silent message of environmental respect. For 17 of those years he didn't speak a word.

You don't need to plan a trip to find beauty and perspective. Just look up, says Gavin Pretor-Pinney, and stop for a moment every day to admire the beauty in the sky above and in our everyday lives.

Psychologist Paul Bloom explains why prejudice is natural, rational and even moral — the key is to understand why we depend on it, and recognize when it leads us astray.

Educator and poet Jamila Lyiscott is a "tri-tongued orator." She unpacks the three distinct flavors of English she speaks with her friends, family, and colleagues.

Artist Hetain Patel toys with race, identity, language and accent — and challenges us to think beyond surface appearances.

Iranian-American comedian and actor Maz Jobrani describes a comic's role in challenging stereotypes — especially when it comes to Middle Eastern Muslims in America.

Playwright and performer Sarah Jones has a chameleon-like ability to change personas. Through these personas, she explores the fine line between stereotyping and celebrating different ethnic groups.

David Christian explains the history of the universe from the big bang, and how humans occupy little more than a millisecond on that cosmic timeline.

Louise Leakey describes her family's long search for early human remains in Africa, and how unlocking that mystery is the key to understanding our past and our future.

Geneticist Spencer Wells describes how he uses DNA samples to trace our individual origins going back 2,000 generations.

Geneticist Spencer Wells tells the story of early humans, and our eventual migration from Africa.

Juan Enriquez argues that human evolution is far from over — Homo sapiens are becoming a new species right before our eyes.

Paleontologist Jack Horner explains what dinosaurs tell us about our own origins and what we can learn by attempting to revive a piece of the past.

Psychologist Meg Jay has a message for 20-somethings: marriage, work and kids often happen later, but you can start planning now. In her book, The Defining Decade, Jay argues that our twenties are a developmental sweet spot that comes only once. She also says the cliche "30 is the ...

Mikko Hyppönen is a "white hat" hacker — one of the good guys. Since Edward Snowden's revelations about the NSA's widespread surveillance, he has become a leading critic of the agency's programs. Hyppönen says we shouldn't be willing to relinquish our privacy, but rather demand it from our government.

Hyppönen ...