Small Thing Big Idea

Series

This original TED series celebrates the lasting genius of everyday objects so perfectly designed that they changed the world around them.

Paola Antonelli

Why pasta comes in all shapes and sizes

A.J. Jacobs

The evolution of the coffee cup lid

David Biello

How the compass unlocked the world

Debbie Millman

The function and fashion of eyeglasses

Jennifer 8. Lee

Why 1.5 billion people eat with chopsticks

Chip Kidd

Why books are here to stay

Jon Gray

The power of the Afro pick

Yves Béhar

How surfboards connect us to nature