What makes for a meaningful life? Social psychologist Brian S. Lowery explores three ideas tied to the experience of meaning and shows why simply pursuing personal achievements isn't the best way to find it.

What if your $1 donation could result in a $100 contribution to a cause you believe in? That's the promise of quadratic funding: a new kind of crowdfunding model that uses math to distribute funds based on the number of contributors, rather than the amount given. Gitcoin founder Kevin Owocki dives into the principles and pitfalls of this approach to philanthropy, where "many small donors are more powerful than one large donor."

Looking to infuse more connection into your time with friends and family? Facilitator Priya Parker urges us to approach gathering with intention and creativity. Diving into the evolving significance of coming together both in-person and virtually, she demystifies the role of a host, outlines mistakes we should avoid and shares the potential of thoughtfully designed get-togethers to bring lasting change to communities, workplaces and personal relationships. (This conversation was hosted by TED's Cloe Shasha Brooks. Visit ted.com/membership to support TED today and join more exclusive events like this one.)

Over his decades of farming and ranching, Gabe Brown has noticed a troubling trend: the conventional farming techniques he used were degrading the soil and harming nature. He shares how his family farm turned things around by adopting regenerative agricultural practices — and shows how the wider food system can use these same methods to improve food quality and revitalize the land.

TED Fellow and chemosensory researcher Paule Joseph unveils the hidden power of a sense that's too often overlooked: smell. She delves into the science behind smell — from how it evokes memory and emotion to its potential for early disease detection — and advocates for the creation of a baseline test for taste and smell that could open the door to more comprehensive health care.

"Georgia is not heard or seen in the world, and many don't even know the location of the country," says TED Fellow and photographer Daro Sulakauri. Through her striking photographs of life in the shadows of Russian occupation, she uses her camera to create a living archive of her home country and defend against the erasure of its borders, culture and history.

What if AI could think and adapt like a real brain? TED Fellow and AI scientist Ramin Hasani shares how liquid neural networks — a new, more flexible AI technology inspired by physics and living brains — could transform how we solve complex problems.

Is it possible to meet the world's seemingly infinite demand for data storage while also caring for the natural environment? Biomedical researcher Keolu Fox and professional surfer and scientist Cliff Kapono believe that Indigenous knowledge combined with the science of genetics may offer such a solution: using the DNA of plant cells (like those found in sugar cane) as mini data warehouses. Learn more about the incredible potential of this technology — and how it could help foster ecosystem resilience in a high-tech world.

What if you could take something as tiny as a grain of sand — and as common as a glass bottle — and use it to tackle the climate crisis? Waste alchemist Franziska Trautmann shares how the spark of an idea turned into a large-scale operation helping restore the eroded shores of Louisiana and beyond. (Created in collaboration with Ignite Talks)

Does AI pose a threat to democracy? Law professor Lawrence Lessig dissects how this emerging technology could influence democratic institutions, warning that we’ve already passed a point (before superintelligence or AGI) that deserves a lot more attention.

We tend to consider romantic partners and family ties to be our most important relationships, but deep friendships can be just as meaningful. In a perspective-shifting talk, author Rhaina Cohen introduces us to the people unsettling norms by choosing a friend as a life partner — and shows why we're all better off recognizing there's more than one kind of significant other.

Bilingual individuals demonstrate different personality characteristics when speaking different languages. Marketers making media and language decisions when addressing multilingual markets should add this finding to their list of influencing factors.

The post Cultural Frame Switching: Different Language, Different Personality appeared first on Neuromarketing.

The Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in human decision science, broadly construed.

I have a free 30 Day Project Calendar that you can use for practicing mindfulness.  There are some instructions and tips at the bottom of the calendar itself and also some more in-depth tips below the image.  If you want to print the calendar, you may prefer this printable PDF version.   Full Instructions Mindfulness […]

The post 30 Days of Mindfulness Printable PDF appeared first on Dr Alice Boyes.

Groups on all sides of the debate over private school choice agree that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling will be tremendously consequential. But it may take some time for the ripple effects to spread.

Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo proposes to allow traditional public schools to be free of certain regulations, including opening up enrollment outside their neighborhoods.

In this fourth installment on the growth in dual-language learning, the director of dual-language education in Portland, Ore., says schools must have a clear reason for why they are offering dual-language instruction.

Not having to negotiate with federal officials on the finer points of teacher evaluation, rigorous standards, or school turnarounds has made it easier to chart their own paths, some education leaders say.

The new curriculum would teach all students about tribes and Indian culture in North Dakota.

Attendance and login records show that Ohio's Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow was paid for 9,000 students more than it should have been, according to a state audit.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich is expected to sign a bill into law that would ban suspensions and expulsions for children in prekindergarten through 3rd grade for minor offenses.

Several states already offer a state-sanctioned LMS option to their schools, with some encouraging results in their efforts to cut costs and improve technical capabilities.

School boards play a critical role in steering the progress of the nation’s schools, but the relationship between school boards and school district leaders could be better.

The political landscape for updating school finance systems won’t be any easier in the 2020 legislative season, despite a surging economy, state flexibility under ESSA, and single-party control in many states.

Maryland's legislature has proposed a unique way to fund schools and also wants to hold school districts more accountable for how they spend their money as part of a new funding formula.

The political landscape for updating school finance systems won’t be any easier in the 2020 legislative season, despite a surging economy, state flexibility under ESSA, and single-party control in many states.

The statewide email to teachers is just the latest chapter in a rocky relationship between Kentucky officials and teachers.

The principal of a school in Kentucky went back to the drawing board on his school's schedule after hearing author Daniel Pink talk about what children really need.

The decision was based on how the voucher-like program is financed, not on the program itself, which is unprecedented in its scope.

Several states this year sought to replace their funding formulas, a monumental fiscal and political feat, but only a handful of legislatures have been able to get proposals to their governors' desks.

The state's elected superintendent and the governor-appointed state board have been in a legal dispute since 2016 over who should oversee the many tasks of the education department.

In five northern U.S. states, black students comprise more than a fifth of ELL enrollment.

More than half of all states have ordered schools closed for multiple weeks to help slow the pandemic.

Nebraska's education department released an interactive instructional materials map last week, showing what curricula districts have adopted for English-language arts, math, and K-8 science.