NPR/TED Staff

Adam Spencer is fascinated by prime numbers. These seemingly simple numbers can be found in monster sizes—the latest being almost 25 million digits long.

How do zip codes indicate luck? Amy Hunter examines how where we live determines the resources and opportunities we receive—and how society is designed to keep some people from being "lucky."

Eshauna Smith says we cannot let luck decide the fate of underprivileged youth—we need to make purposeful interventions to create opportunities for all kids to reach their full potential.

In the game of poker, is it more important to be skilled or lucky? Former poker pro Liv Boeree examines how chance affects us, and whether success—in poker or elsewhere—is within our control.

Are there things we can do to increase our luck? Through taking tiny risks, showing gratitude, and being open to new ideas, Tina Seelig says we can capture luck in our everyday lives.

Mark Sutcliffe says our luck—or privilege—is determined before we are even born. He encourages people to acknowledge the role of privilege in their lives and work to lessen the opportunity gap.

Why do many people dismiss issues like climate change, despite strong scientific evidence? Climatologist J. Marshall Shepherd examines how different forms of bias shape how we perceive science.

We think of search engines as unbiased sources of information. But they're not — and they can be manipulated. Andreas Ekström asks: who should hold the burden of addressing bias in search engines?

Experimental psychologist Tony Salvador says we often hear only what we want to hear. He asks us to move beyond selective listening and be open to hearing all ideas — even ones we don't agree with.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied says people often make assumptions about her because she wears a hijab. She challenges people to recognize this as an unconscious bias—and learn to look a little deeper.

Most women experience sexism and harassment on a regular basis — daily acts that are often ignored. With her Everyday Sexism Project, writer Laura Bates wanted to give women an outlet to speak up.

Ashley Judd has experienced many forms of gendered discrimination, from intense online harassment to assault. Despite her experiences, she says she's optimistic about a future without sexual violence.

For Tarana Burke, #MeToo began as a way to tell survivors, "You're not alone." But as the movement evolved, another priority emerged—how can we work together to put an end to sexual violence entirely?

Anti-sexism educator Jackson Katz refuses to see gender violence issues as women's issues that "good men help out with." He implores men to examine their privilege and their role in sexual assault.

How many people helped make your morning coffee? AJ Jacobs set out to thank them all, from the farmer to the barista and everyone in between—and discovered the list was much longer than he thought.

What would happen if we actually asked others to praise and appreciate us for the work we do? Laura Trice examines the importance of building our sense of self-worth by asking for what we need.

After a career-ending baseball injury, Mike Robbins had to learn how to appreciate his time on the mound. He's found that making the effort to appreciate others has a real impact on their well-being.

It's free to be kind, yet managers often ignore the value of appreciation. Christine Porath argues that workers and companies experience real costs when there is incivility in the workplace.

After being elected to the Danish parliament, Özlem Cekic—a Muslim immigrant to Denmark—began receiving hate mail. To counter it, she did the unexpected: she met her harrassers face to face.

Earth may not be the only place in our solar system with life, says James Green. New data shows life might have existed on Mars, and could exist now. But what does that mean for us on Earth?