NPR/TED Staff

Pateros, a town of about 650 residents in north central Washington, emptied out Thursday night as wildfires continued to grow. One resident described it as looking like "the caldron of hell."

People often credit their ideas to individual "Eureka!" moments. But writer Steven Johnson shows how history tells a different story.

Filmmaker Kirby Ferguson says nothing is original and that our most celebrated creators steal ideas — and transform them into something new.

Sampling music isn't about "hijacking nostalgia wholesale," says DJ Mark Ronson. It's about inserting yourself into the narrative of a song while pushing that story forward.

Copyright law barely touches fashion — and the industry benefits in innovation and sales, says Johanna Blakley. She explains what all creative industries can learn from fashion's free culture.

We're surrounded by deception: in politics and pop culture, in the workplace and on social media. Pamela Meyer points out manners and cues that can help us suss out a lie.

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely explains the hidden reasons we think it's okay to cheat or steal. He says we're predictably irrational — and can be influenced in ways we don't even realize.

The power of the placebo has been consistently proven in medicine. Magician Eric Mead extends that idea to magic, pulling off a gruesome trick that's so convincing, you'll cringe.

Michael Shermer says the human tendency to believe strange things boils down to two of the brain's most basic, hard-wired survival skills.

Who hasn't sent a text message saying "I'm on my way" when it wasn't true? But some technology might actually force us to be more honest, says psychologist Jeff Hancock.

Luis von Ahn believes humans can solve big problems with technology, and not even know they're doing it. He's behind innovative projects like reCAPTCHA, which crowdsources human brainpower to digitize books. His latest project is Duolingo, a free website that teaches foreign languages. While people are using it, ...

Former New York City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan says cities can tackle the challenges of tomorrow by completely re-imagining our streets today.

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford describes how we can create a green future of smart roads and smart cars.

Explorer Bertrand Piccard explains why he's aiming to carry out an unprecedented mission: to circle the planet in a solar-powered airplane.

Zipcar co-founder Robin Chase makes the case for car-sharing as the solution to global gridlock.

Entrepreneur Richard Branson shares his vision for private, commercial space travel.

Astronaut and retired colonel Chris Hadfield discusses how to prepare your mind for the unexpected, and the worst.

Philosopher Stephen Cave delves into the simple question: Why are human beings afraid to die?

Folk singer Joe Kowan talks about the visceral, body-hijacking experience he feels when he's performing in front of an audience, and how a song helped him cope with stage fright.

Through the story of the whale ship Essex, novelist Karen Thompson Walker describes how our most vivid fears are often not the most realistic.