In one of the most bizarre science breakthroughs in recent memory, British and South African doctors have reported three cases of semi-comatose patients who were roused to a waking, interactive state by … a sleeping pill. The effect was discovered by accident: Doctors had administered the sleeping pill, Zolpidem (better known in the US by […]
When architect and stage designer David Rockport (TED ‘97, ‘99, ‘02) was asked to design the interior of the new JetBlue terminal at JFK, he brought in a rather unlikely partner: Broadway choreographer Jerry Mitchell. The pair had collaborated before (on shows like Hairspray, Rocky Horror, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). Now, they’re re-imagining airport foot traffic […]
Are fossil records a thing of the past? Evolutionary biologist Olivia Judson (TED2005) thinks they may be. In Sunday’s New York Times, she made a case (aimed at the general public) that DNA sequencing and analysis now provides more detailed proof of evolution than fossils ever could. True to form, Judson — who is known […]
I received an email from my dad this afternoon saying somewhat incredulously, "Nicholas is really making this thing happen." For those of you who don’t know, "this thing" is the Hundred Dollar Laptop and Nicholas is long-time TED friend and speaker, Nicholas Negroponte. The evidence that Nicholas is making the Hundred Dollar Laptop happen can […]
I’m just back from an incredible few days in Tanzania with Bono and his team, part of his current tour through Africa. Brian Williams of the NBC Nightly News is joining him in Ghana this evening, for the show’s first live broadcast from Africa. I’m sure it’s worth watching. (6.30pm ET, 5.30pm PT, and also […]
If you liked the Sony Bouncy Balls ad, you’ll love this homage, filmed in Wales for the soft drink, Tango.
When Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” premiered at Cannes this weekend, TED2006 photographer Robert Leslie was on hand to capture some behind-the-scenes pics. Below: Pay no attention to those name placards … Director David Guggenheim, movie star Al Gore and producer Lawrence Bender answer questions at the press conference for “An Inconvenient Truth”; Gore at […]
Who needs American Idle when you’ve got the viral power of the Internet. Those of you reading this post who have not yet seen the Chinese Backstreet Boys, as they have come to be known, may well be in minority at this point. This lip syncing video has struck a chord with millions of viewers. […]
At TED2006, we devoted an unusual amount of our “interstitial” time to a single advertiser, showing three different ads from Honda, all brilliant in their own way. Mind you, Honda has no affiliation with TED. We just like their ads. And we’re not the only ones. Two of the Honda spots — Choir and Impossible […]
We were pleased to see that several of the ads we highlighted at TED2006 and TEDGlobal were awarded Clios last night, in Miami. The Honda ads, Choir and Impossible Dream, took the Grand Clio, and gold awards went to Guinness noitulovE (that’s “evolution,” backwards), Sony Bouncy Balls, and Sony PSP A Day in the Life. […]
In perhaps the most surprising collaboration to come out of TED, string quartet Ethel has recorded a lively little number with … Einstein the talking parrot. We give to you: Also Spracht Einstein. Delightful.
At TED2006, and again at our TED screening of “An Inconvenient Truth,” we witnessed the reinvention of Al Gore as global warming warrior and … stand-up comic? The former VP, not known previously for his stage presence, was surprisingly hilarious in both his rehearsed bits and off-the-cuff comments (to say nothing of the Melissa Etheridge […]
Yes, I know there are three, big, open wishes out there going through the wish granting process, but it’s time to start thinking about next year. Only two months left to get in nominations for the 2007 TED Prize winners. We’re looking for visionaries that can make a difference in the world and mobilize the […]
TEDPrize winner Cameron Sinclair is having a very good year. Fresh on the heels of both the TEDPrize and the RISD/Target Emerging Designer Award, tonight he’ll receive a WIRED Rave Award, recognizing him and his wife/Architecture for Humanity co-founder Kate Stohr for innovation in architecture. WIRED is also raving about other TED speakers, who’ll be […]
The cover of today’s UK Independent is pure genius. They made TED Prize winner Bono guest editor for the day. His front page lead headline reads:"No news today." with a footnote that clarifies: "Just 6,500 Africans died today as a result of a preventable, treatable disease." The novice editor appears to have had access to […]
TED Prize winner Cameron Sinclair has a new book coming out – an encyclopedia of sorts that showcases global projects in which design improves living standards – and the Observer has the story. The article has a great summary of how Architecture for Humanity came to be and an idea of where it’s going. For […]