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.

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."

Ever have the sneaking suspicion your vote doesn't really matter? Software engineer Brian Olson has designed a powerful algorithm that transforms gerrymandered districts into vibrant, perfectly impartial state maps so that every vote counts.

You want to eat a more climate-friendly diet but you're not ready to be vegan or vegetarian? That's OK, says entrepreneur Brian Kateman. Instead, you could be a "reducetarian" — someone who's making the conscious choice to decrease the amount of meat they consume. In this talk, he explains the costs of our current diets and the benefits that ada...

Challenges and problems can derail your creative process ... or they can make you more creative than ever. In the surprising story behind the best-selling solo piano album of all time, Tim Harford may just convince you of the advantages of having to work with a little mess.

Researcher Kwabena Boahen is looking for ways to mimic the brain's supercomputing powers in silicon -- because the messy, redundant processes inside our heads actually make for a small, light, superfast computer.

Aboard Mission Blue, scientist Greg Stone tells the story of how he helped the Republic of Kiribati to create an enormous protected area in the middle of the Pacific -- protecting fish, sealife and perhaps the island nation itself.

Paul MacCready -- aircraft designer, environmentalist, and lifelong lover of flight -- talks about his long career.

"We need to figure out how we go into conversations not looking for the victory, but the progress," says world debate champion Julia Dhar. In this practical talk, she shares three essential features of productive disagreements grounded in curiosity and purpose. The end result? Constructive conversations that sharpen your argument and strengthen ...

Great design is a never-ending journey of discovery -- for which it helps to pack a healthy sense of humor. Sociologist and surfer-turned-designer David Carson walks through a gorgeous (and often quite funny) slide deck of his work and found images.

Tech enthusiast Kevin Kelly asks "What does technology want?" and discovers that its movement toward ubiquity and complexity is much like the evolution of life.

Stewart Brand works on the Clock of the Long Now, a timepiece that counts down the next 10,000 years. It's a beautiful project that asks us to think about the far, far future. Here, he discusses a tricky side problem with the Clock: Where can we put it?

The title of property developer does not fully describe what Brian does, but it is the closest approximation. Consider these two examples: 44 Stanley Avenue and Victoria Yards, both in Johannesburg. With the former, he took eight thousand square metres of decay, located in a dead part of town, and turned them into a delightful, tree-filled set o...