“One of the tragic aspects of human-right abuses is that they’re too easily forgotten or denied; but it appears that if there are cameras around, they tend to happen less.” —Peter Gabriel [Session write up | Photo]
“If newts can regenerate a lost limb, why can’t we?” —Dr. Alan Russell explaining advances in regenerative medicine. [Session write up | Photo]
“This is not a political issue, though it masquerades as one. This is a moral issue. This is an ethical issue. This is a spiritual issue.” —Al Gore, addressing the climate change crisis at a pre-conference breakfast
“Happy birthday” —Einstein the parrot, singing for Al Gore. [Session write up | Photo]
“Life will be everywhere. It will be everywhere we look.” —Penelope Boston, outlining her theory that life is common throughout the universe, and is most likely to be found underground or in caves. [Session write up | Photo]
“Everyone bets their life on something. I happen to believe that Jesus is who he said he was.” —Pastor Rick Warren [Session write up | Photo]
“Religions are natural phenomena that have been domesticated and redesigned and adapted over time.” —Philosopher Dan Dennett, making the case for the non-necessity of religion [Session write up | Photo]
“I’m incredibly narcissistic. I’m a blogger.” — Mena Trott, discussing the profound importance of personal blogs. [Session write up | Photo]
“3.1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693
993751058209749445923078164062862089986280348
253421170679821480865132823066470938446095505
822317253594081284811174502841027019385211055
5964462294895493038196” —Nick McKeown reciting (without mistakes) the first 200 digits of Pi (while juggling). [Session write-upPhoto]
“So that means you’re Bart, right?” —Chris Anderson to Matt Groening following the revelation that the original Homer was Homer Groening, Matt’s father. [Photo]
“I don’t know if a film can change the world, but I believe it has the ability to take you across borders, into another world, and maybe that has the ability to transform”. —TEDPrize winner and documentary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim
“I’m the luckiest guy in the world: I got to see the last case of smallpox in the world, and recently in India I may have seen the last cases of polio”. —TEDPrize winner Larry Brilliant
“I’m fed up with talking about making change: it’s time to do it” —TEDPrize winner and Architecture for Humanity founder Cameron Sinclair