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The Hidden Forces Shaping Your Choices
Every day, we make countless choices—but are these decisions guided by desire or design? This hour, TED speakers on what shapes the food we eat, how we power our homes, and how we communicate. Guests include food systems expert Sarah Lake, infrastructure engineer Deb Chachra, cross-cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand, urban planner Jeff Speck, and Tempe resident Ignacio Delgadillo.
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Your Brain is Biased to Negativity. Here’s How to be More Positive
Your co-worker surprised you with a chocolate chip cookie, but a teammate took a dig at your report. As the day goes on, you’re more likely to dwell on the criticism than the act of kindness. Negative events feel more psychologically intense than positive ones, thanks to a cognitive tendency called the negativity bias. That’s true even when events are of equal weight. ... “If you’re walking to get water and you encounter a tiger, it’s a great idea to stay focused on the tiger” and not on the pretty sunset, said Alison Ledgerwood, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis.
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Beyond Words: Why TalkBank is Crucial for Spoken Language Research
Podcast: Most linguistic datasets focus on written text, but what about the way we actually speak? TalkBank, the world’s largest open-access repository of spoken language, is helping researchers understand everything from child development to dementia, bilingualism, and even classroom learning.
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National Academy of Sciences Elects Members and International Members
WASHINGTON — The National Academy of Sciences announced today the election of 120 members and 30 international members in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Those elected today bring the total number of active members to 2,662 and the total number of international members to 556. International members are nonvoting members of the Academy, with citizenship outside the United States.
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Honoring Excellence, Announcing New Members: Academy 2025 Election
April 23, 2025 | Cambridge, MA – Since 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has honored excellence and convened leaders from across disciplines and divides to examine new ideas, address issues of importance, and work together “to advance the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.” The Academy’s founders – including John Adams and John Hancock – envisioned an organization that would recognize accomplished individuals and engage them in meeting the nation’s challenges. The first members elected to the Academy in 1781 included Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
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Science Explains How Children Best Learn Math—And Yes, Timed Practice Helps
A new report shows that children learn arithmetic most effectively when instruction combines conceptual understanding and timed practice.
