OCW
Why is getting bitten by a rabid animal so dangerous?
In 1885, Joseph Meister was bit in 14 places by a rabid dog. His mother rushed him to Paris for an experimental vaccine from Louis Pasteur, and he became the first rabies-vaccinated person to survive. Today, without proper intervention, rabies remains deadly in almost all cases. So, what makes it so..
TED
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”
Looking to avoid the plague devastating his country, Prince Prospero summons a thousand nobles from his court and sequesters them in his abbey. Months into their seclusion, the Prince throws a lavish masquerade ball held in seven colored rooms. But amidst the revelry, a mysterious shrouded figure ap..
TED
The missing ingredient in how we learn
Before the last few centuries, children around the world spent most of their time learning through play: observing and mimicking adults, roaming their surroundings, and sharing what they learned with friends and family. Many communities and educators still believe play is one of the best teachers we..
TED
Why Iceland's lava is so hard to control
In December 2023, Icelandic citizens experienced their worst nightmare: a volcanic fissure opened and began spewing lava fountains 100 meters tall. While the molten rock narrowly avoided a small town, Iceland wasn’t willing to leave anyone's fate to chance again and began preparing for future..
TED
How did detectives solve the case of the bloody motel?
Scanning the crime scene, Officer Stone sees a disorderly room, visible red-brown stains and a partial shoe track— all hinting at a bloody struggle. After calling in a team to inspect, photograph, sketch, measure, and collect all the evidence, the investigators apply Luminol. So, what is Luminol a..
TED
The fascinating reason you loved peek-a-boo
In Italy, it’s called il gioco del cucù. Palestinians say ba' 'éno. And in Japan, it’s inaīnaibā! Peek-a-boo is a near universal source of laughter and connection for infants and adults— it’s the first game that almost everyone plays. So what is it about this goofy game that ba..
TED
