logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2020
11m 41s

The science of friction -- and its surpr...

TED
About this episode
Tribology: it's a funny-sounding word you might not have heard before, but it could change how you see and interact with the physical world, says mechanical engineer Jennifer Vail. Offering lessons from tribology -- the study of friction and wear -- Vail describes the surprisingly varied ways it impacts everyday life and how it could help us make a better world.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
Can you spot the lies in your news feed? | Laura Smythe
Laura Smythe spent years in legacy newsrooms, and she thinks the habits journalists use to vet information should belong to all of us. Using Fyre Festival as a cautionary tale, she explains why media literacy is a vital skill in our age of deepfakes and algorithmic feeds — and de ... Show More
14m 30s
Oct 22
I can't speak. Here's how I get people to listen | Jessica Irwin
Jessica Irwin is many things: a photographer, artist, author, performer. She also happens to be nonverbal, born with cerebral palsy that affects the muscles she needs to talk. Speaking through a device that turns her typed words into speech, she gives a sharp, funny and urgent re ... Show More
9m 2s
Oct 21
How would you design your dream city? | James Rojas
Urban planner James Rojas has led hundreds of workshops where participants creatively design their ideal communities with small objects — and he's noticed that people of every age, income and background build strikingly similar places. Through play and storytelling, he shows how ... Show More
14m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
Friction
We encounter friction every day—in all its forms—as we brush our teeth, go for a jog, argue with a friend. This hour, TED speakers explore how this force can be dialed up or down to improve our lives. Guests include tribologist Jennifer Vail, democracy activist Yaël Eisenstat, Si ... Show More
49m 34s
Apr 2023
Friction
Original broadcast date: October 7, 2022. We encounter friction every day — in all its forms — as we brush our teeth, go for a jog, argue with a friend. This hour, TED speakers explore how this force can be dialed up or down to improve our lives. Guests include tribologist Jennif ... Show More
50m 17s
Nov 2021
The Slippery Situation
'What is the slipperiest thing in the world?' asks 8 year old Evelyn. Why do my feet slip on a wet floor but when my feet are even slightly moist it's nearly impossible to put on a pair of socks without falling over and cursing the universe. What is going on here?' asks Evelyn's ... Show More
37m 40s
Jan 2022
The slippery situation
'What is the slipperiest thing in the world?' asks 8 year old Evelyn? 'Why do my feet slip on a wet floor but when my feet are even slightly moist it's nearly impossible to put on a pair of socks without falling over and cursing the universe. What is going on here?' asks Evelyn's ... Show More
27m 20s
Jun 2022
Humor Us
Humor can lighten the mood. But it can also provoke, cajole, and inspire. This hour, TED speakers share how we can wield humor as a tool across all aspects of our lives. Guests include comedian Marcia Belsky, computer scientist Vinith Misra, behavioral scientist Jennifer Aaker, c ... Show More
49m 27s
Apr 2024
Biomimicry
tail spinning
1h 20m
Feb 2023
Whine About It: Changing the Way You Feel
<p>Changing how you feel is not as easy as it sounds, so Jana connects with psychotherapist Amy Morin to help understand changing the WAY she feels.<br> <br>Amy reveals the 2 most common habits that hold people back, and what happens when you ignore counterproductive actions in y ... Show More
22m 13s
Aug 2021
Out of This World
A former NASA employee shares her unconventional trek and how you can work there too. Actress Faiven Feshazion releases the emotional weight of being a token Black woman at a major retailer that only wanted to exploit her. Ahhh, Gov. Cuomo! The team reflects on the awkward parts ... Show More
1h 9m
Jan 2015
Entanglement
In Entanglement, you'll meet a woman with Mirror Touch Synesthesia who can physically feel what she sees others feeling. And an exploration of the ways in which all of us are connected — more literally than you might realize. The hour will start with physics and end with a conver ... Show More
56m 47s
Mar 2021
The Snowball Effect
<p>Why do some companies become household names, while others flame out? How do certain memes go viral? And why do some social movements take off and spread, while others fizzle? Today on the show, we talk with sociologist <a href="https://www.asc.upenn.edu/people/faculty/damon-c ... Show More
54m 35s