Most Popular TED Talks of All Time
Before MasterClass, there were (and still are) TED Talks — thought-provoking speeches about psychology, technology, business, writing and any other "ideas worth spreading."
These inspirational lectures are 18 minutes or less, though some can go a bit longer, and they have captivated millions of people with their timeless ideas and philosophical nature. Some of them offer wonderful advice for work, life and creativity. Others are just plain fun to watch. The one thing they all have in common: They're incredibly popular around the entire world.
Here are the most popular TED Talks of all time.
25. Underwater Astonishments, David Gallo
When: March 2007
Where: Monterey, California
Speaker's background: Oceanographer
Views: 16 million
Topics: Exploration, marine biology
Length: 5:27
Bottom Line: Underwater Astonishments
This very brief, five-minute TED Talk explores some of the coolest known and unknown forms of life that live in our oceans.
They include fish that twinkle with neon lights where the sun's rays can't even reach. The star of the show is a camouflaging octopus that perfectly blends in with a piece of coral.
David Gallo made a follow-up TED Talk in 2012, this time discussing the mysteries and wonders of the deep sea.
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24. Brain Magic, Keith Barry
When: February 2004
Where: TED2004, Monterey, California
Speaker's background: Magician
Views: 18.27 million
Topics: Illusion, entertainment, magic
Length: 19:49
Bottom Line: Brain Magic
Keith Barry gives a master class in illusion and general brain trickery in this TED Talk.
There's some really interesting stuff, like making people feel they're being touched when he's really touching someone else.
Without understanding the psychology behind this (and he doesn't elaborate on that), this stuff could be mistaken for voodoo.
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23. The Thrilling Potential of SixthSense Technology, Pranav Mistry
When: November 2009
Where: TEDIndia 2009, Mumbai, India
Speaker's background: Computer scientist, SixthSense developer
Views: 18.89 million
Topics: Technology
Length: 13:50
Bottom Line: The Thrilling Potential of SixthSense Technology
Pranav Mistry is a key developer of SixthSense, a wearable technology that is designed to function as a sixth sense.
In this case, that means something like wearing some hardware and making hand gestures to take a picture, instead of using your phone. Or looking at a book in real time and finding reviews of it, which can be projected on a wall, or playing ping pong with friends with a ball of light.
This was an interesting look into the future of tech, but it's now 11 years old and outdated. SixthSense is still in prototype form and is open-source software, while Mistry has moved on to other things. Seems like the thrill is gone.
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22. The Surprising Science of Happiness, Dan Gilbert
When: February 2004
Where: TED2004, Monterey, California
Speaker's background: Psychologist, professor, author
Views: 18.98 million
Topics: Psychology, happiness, culture, science
Length: 21:16
Bottom Line: The Surprising Science of Happiness
Dan Gilbert, best-selling author of "Stumbling on Happiness," discusses how we perceive an event is going to affect us and how it affects us. Studies have shown time and again that the perceived impact of losing a partner or getting a promotion is much greater than what actually happens. That it has no real impact on our happiness.
Gilbert explains that we can "synthesize happiness." Meaning we don't need to acquire what we think we want to be happy — acquisitions like power, fortune, being a drummer in a world-famous rock band — but we can train our brain to make its own happiness even when things don't go our way.
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21. Your Elusive Creative Genius, Elizabeth Gilbert
When: February 2009
Where: TED2009, Oxford, England
Speaker's background: Author
Views: 19.58 million
Topics: Writing, creativity, culture, entertainment
Length: 19:09
Bottom Line: Your Elusive Creative Genius
Those in ancient Rome defined genius painters as not what comes from the self, but from spirits that lived in the studio, aiding the artist along. We don't think of it that way any longer, of course. But why not?
"Eat, Pray, Love" author Elizabeth Gilbert raises that entertaining question. Instead of laboring over our creative work, scraping and clawing and trying to pull ideas out of our brain, why not treat them like otherworldly muses?
This is a quirky and creative TED Talk that could change the way you work.
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20. The Happy Secret to Better Work, Shawn Achor
When: May 2011
Where: TedxBloomington, Bloomington, Indiana
Speaker's background: CEO of GoodThink, Inc.
Views: 22.51 million
Topics: Work, happiness, business, psychology, motivation
Length: 12:20
Bottom Line: The Happy Secret to Better Work
Shawn Achor gives a funny, fast-paced presentation on how we can be happier with our work and at work. Achor says that it's not necessarily reality that shapes us, but how we view reality and the lens we use to view it. If we can change that lens, then we can change how we feel.
Achor says his company, GoodThink, found that job success is only sometimes (25 percent) the correct indicator of success. The other 75 percent of predicted job success comes from support networks, optimism levels and "your ability to see stress as a challenge instead of as a threat."
He also discusses the ability to rewire the brain to think more optimistically, leading to a happier life and more successful work.
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19. The Danger of a Single Story, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
When: July 2009
Where: TEDGlobal 2009, Oxford, England
Speaker's background: Author
Views: 23 million
Topics: Culture, writing, identity
Length: 18:49
Bottom Line: The Danger of a Single Story
Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie talks about her journey from her home country to finding her voice in literature, and how we make up "single stories" of people based on only one, usually biased, thing we know about their entire culture.
This is an interesting, sincere TED Talk about identity and how we all need to look for other stories about people and cultures, stories we don't see on the news, stories that humanize people from other countries that can destroy the biases we unconsciously hold.
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18. How to Make Stress Your Friend, Kelly McGonigal
When: June 2013
Where: TEDGlobal 2013, Edinburgh, Scotland
Speaker's background: Health psychologist
Views: 24.26 million
Topics: Psychology, body language, health
Length: 14:28
Bottom Line: How to Make Stress Your Friend
Managing stress is a huge task, and an important one. Stress can be harmful and even fatal.
But we don't have to get stressed about stress. Stanford health psychologist Kelly McGonigal believes we can translate stress and its symptoms — sweaty palms, nervousness, a pounding heart — as indicators of preparation for action. These physiological responses are good. They're delivering more oxygen to your brain, readying you for the task at hand.
The key, McGonigal says, isn't to eliminate stress. It's to learn how to wield it. This TED Talk is especially useful now given the state of the world.
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17. Strange Answers to the Psychopath Test, Jon Ronson
When: March 2012
Where: TED2012, Long Beach, California
Speaker's background: Journalist and filmmaker
Views: 25.25 million
Topics: Culture, storytelling, entertainment
Length: 18:01
Bottom Line: Strange Answers to the Psychopath Test
Jon Ronson is a gonzo journalist probably best known for penning "The Men Who Stare at Goats," which was made into a movie. In this TED Talk, Ronson discusses the gray area between sane and crazy — particularly for those who are psychopaths.
The talk, which uses live audio and animations, plays out more like a story, although it's based on Ronson's book, "The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry."
It's funny, weird, kind of creepy and difficult to explain. You're better off just watching it.
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16. The Puzzle of Motivation, Dan Pink
When: July 2009
Where: TEDGlobal 2009, Oxford, England
Speaker's background: Author, career analyst, speechwriter
Views: 26.1 million
Topics: Creativity, business, motivation, science
Length: 18:36
Bottom Line: The Puzzle of Motivation
If you ask someone to solve a problem, the best thing you can do to perform better is reward them with money and bonuses, right? Not necessarily. In fact, monetary rewards do the opposite: They cause people to perform worse at problems that require creativity.
Why? Dan Pink explains that we're better at solving problems not when we're rewarded with dollars, but when we care about what we're doing and why it matters.
This is a captivating video for everyone, but especially for those in charge who want to motivate their team.
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15. The Power of Introverts, Susan Cain
When: February 2012
Where: TED2012, Long Beach, California
Speaker's background: Author and former lawyer
Views: 26.78 million
Topics: Culture, business, psychology
Length: 19:04
Bottom Line: The Power of Introverts
Society is built around extroverts, and we should change that, says author Susan Cain. Why? Because introverts make up one-third to one-half of the world's population, and they're not just meandering around in the background.
Cain delves into famous introverts throughout history and how introverts contribute to society, culture and business as a whole.
Anyone who's an introvert will enjoy this lecture, and business leaders can walk away with some new ideas on how to cater to introverts for better results in the workplace.
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14. My Stroke of Insight, Jill Bolte Taylor
When: February 2008
Where: TED 2008, Monterey, California
Speaker's background: Neuroanatomist, author
Views: 26.88 million
Topics: Neurology, biology, consciousness, science
Length: 18:19
Bottom Line: My Stroke of Insight, Jill Bolte Taylor
At the age of 37, Jill Taylor endured a massive stroke which left her unable to read, write or walk, with no memory of her past or even her own physicality. But she made a full recovery. While doing so, she learned fascinating things about the brain and how it works.
In her TED talk, Taylor discusses the inner workings of the human brain and her journey from being a 37-year-old woman to what was essentially a newborn and back again.
This is an absolutely fascinating and inspirational talk.
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13. How I Held My Breath for 17 Minutes, David Blaine
When: October 2009
Where: TEDMED 2009, San Diego, California
Speaker's background: Magician, performance artist
Views: 26.93 million
Topics: Biology
Length: 20:19
Bottom Line: How I Held My Breath for 17 Minutes
David Blaine is well-known for his highly publicized stunts, like being buried alive or fasting for 44 days in a glass box hoisted above the Thames River.
In this TED Talk, Blaine discusses how he prepared for actually holding his breath for 17 minutes.
He talks about studying pearl divers and breath-training, losing 50 pounds in three months, dropping his resting heart rate and other quite interesting aspects of his almost superhuman feat that would leave most people brain dead.
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12. The Art of Misdirection, Apollo Robbins
When: June 2013
Where: TEDGlobal 2013, Edinburgh, Scotland
Speaker's background: Entertainer, pickpocketing expert
Views: 28.04 million
Topics: Entertainment
Length: 8:47
Bottom Line: The Art of Misdirection
Apollo Robbins, who is hailed as one of the best pickpockets in the world, demonstrates his mastery of misdirection and pickpocketing.
It's a quick, entertaining view as Robbins performs a few tricks on an audience member, including stealing the watch on their wrist.
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11. How to Spot a Liar, Pamela Meyer
When: July 2011
Where: TEDGlobal 2011, Edinburgh, Scotland
Speaker's background: Author, expert on lying
Views: 29.45 million
Topics: Culture, psychology, society
Length: 18:50
Bottom Line: How to Spot a Liar
What is lying? Why do we do it? How do we spot it? Lying expert Pamela Meyer explores these concepts in her 19-minute TED Talk.
Everyone lies, even though most of those lies are harmless, little white ones. But how do you spot a liar when it really matters?
This TED Talk is a crash course in the common red flag people show when they're trying to cover something up. We all want to be human lie detectors. It's why this video is so popular.
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10. 10 Things You Didn't Know About Orgasm, Mary Roach
When: February 2009
Where: Long Beach, California
Speaker's background: Author
Views: 31.67 million
Topics: Sexuality, history, humor
Length: 16:43
Bottom Line: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Orgasm
Author Mary Roach gives a hilarious look at the history of orgasm, ranging from obscure journal papers to the possibility of orgasm after death (yes, seriously).
If you're looking to learn some weird and funny stuff about human sexuality and all the stuff we've gotten wrong about it, this 17-minute TED Talk is for you.
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9. What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness, Robert Waldinger
When: November 2015
Where: TEDxBeaconStreet, Brookline, Massachusetts
Speaker's background: Psychiatrist, director of the Study of Adult Development at Harvard University
Views: 34.57 million
Topics: Aging, happiness, society, work-life balance
Length: 12:46
Bottom Line: What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness
The Grant Study is a 75-year longitudinal study that selected 456 disadvantaged youths from Boston between 1940 and 1945. Every two years, those men were evaluated, from doctor's notes to personal interviews about their mental and physical health, work, and interpersonal relationships.
It's a phenomenal effort that can be studied in full in the book, "Triumphs of Experience." Or you can get the CliffsNotes version with this 12-minute lecture.
The main takeaway: Good relationships are the key to being happier and healthier. This TED Talk is a wonderful video for anyone who needs a refresher on life goals.
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8. Looks Aren't Everything. Believe Me, I'm a Model, Cameron Russell
When: October 2012
Where: TEDxMidAtlantic, Washington, DC
Speaker's background: Model
Views: 34.96 million
Topics: Culture, beauty, fashion
Length: 9:37
Bottom Line: Looks Aren't Everything. Believe Me, I'm a Model.
Cameron Russell "won the genetic lottery" (her words) with her tall, slender frame and good looks. She has modeled for a number of high-profile clients, like Calvin Klein, Victoria's Secret, Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton.
In her talk, Russell discusses the superficiality of looks and some interesting views on the modeling industry.
She's brutally honest in how "the deck was stacked" in her favor and touches on racial inequality in the industry as well.
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7. Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator, Tim Urban
When: February 2016
Where: TED2016, Vancouver, Canada
Speaker's background: Blogger
Views: 40.6 million
Topics: Comedy, entertainment, productivity, work
Length: 14:03
Bottom Line: Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator
Tim Urban, blogger and owner of the comedic website Wait But Why, takes us on a 14-minute adventure through Urban's trials and failures with procrastination.
This TED Talk is a fun little presentation that all of us can relate to.
There's some useful advice here too, and some poignant closing statements about what procrastination really is and who does it the most.
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6. How to Speak So People Will Want to Listen, Julian Treasure
When: June 2013
Where: TEDGlobal 2013, Edinburgh, Scotland
Speaker's background: Sound and communication experts
Views: 43.22 million
Topics: Culture, sound, speech
Length: 9:58
Bottom Line: How to Speak So People Will Want to Listen
Communication expert Julian Treasure discusses the "seven deadly sins of speaking" and how to avoid them by using a communication method he calls HAIL: Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity and Love.
Treasure also talks about the literal sound we make when we speak: timbre, pace, volume, register and prosody.
He includes one exercise to warm up your voice. Couple that with his other advice, and you might be able to command more attention at your next meeting.
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5. The Power of Vulnerability, Brene Brown
When: June 2010
Where: TEDxHouston, Houston, Texas
Speaker's background: Research professor who studies courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy.
Views: 49.36 million
Topics: Communication, psychology, family, fear
Length: 20:19
Bottom Line: The Power of Vulnerability
Brene Brown spent years trying to deconstruct emotions like courage and vulnerability. She found that the most courageous people were also some of the most vulnerable, but also that they embraced that vulnerability, and didn't run away from it.
She also discusses her long-standing struggle with vulnerability (and her inability to "beat it back").
Throughout this talk, Brown gives some sage advice on how we should be willing to live our lives, and how vulnerability and courage and authenticity are vital, and important emotions.
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4. How Great Leaders Inspire Action, Simon Sinek
When: 2009
Where: TEDxPugent Sound, Newcastle, Ohio
Speaker's background: Motivational speaker and author
Views: 51.2 million
Topics: Leadership, entrepreneurship, business
Length: 18:04
Bottom Line: How Great Leaders Inspire Action
What makes great leaders great? How do they move so many people? What do great leaders all around the world — from Martin Luther King to Steve Jobs— have in common?
Simon Sinek believes all the greatest leaders communicate in the same way, and he calls it the "golden circle." People, he explains, don't buy into what you do or produce, but why you do it, and therefore you should do business with people who believe what you believe.
This is a fantastic TED talk for budding entrepreneurs or those looking to hone the leadership roles in their life or career.
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3. Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are, Amy Cuddy
When: June 2012
Where: TEDGlobal 2012, Edinburgh, Scotland
Speaker's background: Social psychologist with a Ph.D. from Princeton University
Views: 58.3 million
Topics: Psychology, business, science
Length: 21:02
Bottom Line: Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are
When a winning runner crosses the finish line, what do they do? They raise their chin high and raise their arms above their head in a V. It's a celebration of victory held by everyone — even blind people, who could not be imitating anyone. What we communicate with our bodies might make us who we are just as much as the things we say and do.
Amy Cuddy explores how our body posture can not only mirror what we feel, but influence what we do. In one experiment, she found that people who took on high-power poses were significantly more likely to gamble compared to those who were told to take on low-power poses.
What else might we be able to manipulate within ourselves if we can master our pose?
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2. This Is What Happens When You Reply to Spam Email, James Veitch
When: December 2015
Where: TEDGlobal Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Speaker's background: Comedian
Views: 62.46 million
Topics: Comedy, communication, curiosity
Length: 9:48
Bottom Line: This Is What Happens When You Reply to Spam Email
British comedian James Veitch tells a story about a conversation he had with a phishing attempt by someone claiming to ship him 50 kilograms of gold — and how it sent him on a three-year journey of replying to scammers and screwing with them.
There's nothing to learn here, but the key takeaway is this: If you want to mess with a scammer, go for it.
It's a good way to kill some free time, and they deserve it.
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1. Do Schools Kill Creativity?, Sir Ken Robinson
When: February 2006
Where: TED2006, Monterey, California
Speaker's background: British author and international advisor on education in the arts
Views: 66.21 million
Topics: Creativity, education, teaching, culture
Length: 19:24
Bottom Line: Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Sir Ken Robinson gives a 20-minute lecture exploring how we created an educational system that stamps out creativity in favor of conformity. Education, he argues, is the biggest tool we have to prepare children for the future — yet we can't even predict what the future will look like five years from now.
Instead, schools focus almost entirely on academic ability, which rejects creativity and creative people. Shouldn't we be more creative when it comes to problem-solving?
This is one of the earliest TED talks and remains the most popular. Robinson's message about the rigidity of academia and how we should be valuing creativity as a means of measuring intelligence is important.
Robinson died on Aug. 21, 2020. This TED Talk propelled him to viral fame and gained him worldwide attention.
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