Archives > Monthly

August 2008

Squawking at TED2006: Einstein the parrot on TED.com

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This whimsical wrap-up of TED2006 — presented by Einstein, the African grey parrot, and her trainer, Stephanie White — simply tickles. Watch for the moment when Einstein, like many other distinguished TED speakers, has a moment with Al Gore. (Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, California. Duration: 05:48.)   Watch Einstein the parrot’s talk on TED.com, []

TED Prize

To do this weekend: Vote for Architecture for Humanity

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Via Treehugger: The Members Project, from American Express, is a contest to support worthy projects from a $2.5 million fund. 2006 TED Prize winner Cameron Sinclair, of Architecture for Humanity, has submitted a project to help build sustainable livelihoods for artisans in Southeast Asia: a locally driven social venture that creates an alliance of textile []

The making of an activist: Ory Okolloh on TED.com

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In a moving, personal talk, blogger and activist Ory Okolloh tells the story of her life and her family — and how she came to do her heroic work reporting on the doings of Kenya’s parliament. (Recorded June 2007 in Arucha, Tanzania. Duration: 16:37.)   Watch Ory Okolloh’s talk on TED.com, where you can download []

Education

How kids teach themselves: Sugata Mitra on TED.com

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At the LIFT Conference, in Geneva, Sugata Mitra discusses his “Hole in the Wall” project in India, which proved that kids, without education or instruction, can figure out how to use a PC on their own — and then teach other kids. Given this, he asks, what else can children teach themselves? (Recorded January 2007 []

Music

Replaying great piano performances: John Q. Walker on TED.com

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Imagine hearing great, departed pianists play again today, just as they would in person. At the 2007 EG conference, John Q. Walker shows how recordings from the likes of Glenn Gould and Art Tatum can be analyzed for precise keystrokes and pedal motions, then played back on computer-controlled grand pianos. (Recorded December 2007 in Los []

Prototype: Scope, a camera for kids

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Inspired by James Nachtwey’s TED Prize wish, designer Bas Groenendaal shares this prototype camera with TED. The Scope camera has a fresh look and a singular purpose, he says: to be used as a therapeutic instrument for underprivileged children, e.g. children living in (former) warzones. Children can take photographs and self-portraits in order to rediscover []

TED is hiring a new video editor

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TED.com is looking for an experienced Final Cut Studio editor to work in our Manhattan offices for 3 months. Details below: FILM + VIDEO EDITOR, TEDTalks SoHo-based media company seeks an experienced Final Cut Studio editor to fill a 3-month contract position in-house. Since TEDTalks launched two summers ago, the videos in this critically acclaimed []

The search for dark matter and dark energy: Patricia Burchat on TED.com

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Physicist Patricia Burchat sheds light on two basic ingredients of our universe: dark matter and dark energy. Comprising 96% of the universe between them, they can’t be directly measured, but their influence is immense. (Recorded February 2008 in Monterey, California. Duration: 16:09) Watch Patricia Burchat’s 2008 talk on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, []

Psychology's final frontier: Staying sane in space

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Astrobiology Magazine posts an intriguing report today: The American Psychological Association is looking seriously at the question of astronauts’ mental health. It’s an issue that has sometimes been swept under the rug, says the APA’s press release: Historically, astronauts have been reluctant to admit to mental or behavioral health problems for fear of being grounded. []

Invention

New inventions from Amy Smith's students at IDDS 2008

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While TED was on vacation last week, Amy Smith‘s second annual International Development Design Summit 2008 was raging at MIT. For four weeks at IDDS, some 50 students from more than 20 countries designed and built new tools that could improve quality of life in some of the world’s poorest communities. Among the projects: * []

Clay Shirky on our cognitive surplus

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There’s a great talk from Clay Shirky in the latest issue of Edge — about all of our surplus, unused brain power, and what we might be able to do with it if we turn off our TVs: How big is that surplus? If you take Wikipedia as a kind of unit, all of Wikipedia, []

"The Dog Song": Nellie McKay on TED.com

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Animal fan Nellie McKay sings a sparkling tribute to her dear dog. She suggests we all do the same: “Just go right to the pound/ And find yourself a hound/ And make that doggie proud/ ’cause that’s what it’s all about.” Nellie’s TED performance of “The Dog Song” is dedicated to this handsome fellow, Carmello, []

Africa's brain drain may have hidden benefits

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Each year, untold numbers of bright young Africans — doctors and nurses, scientists and programmers — leave their home countries to live and work abroad. This continental “brain drain” has the predictable effect: Many experts believe the flight of health workers, scientists, and teachers hinder the continent’s development. “It will be impossible to achieve an []

Photosynth goes live!

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Remember Blaise Aguera y Arcas’ dazzling demo of Photosynth (one of the Top 10 TEDTalks of all time)? The software has been released this week by Microsoft Live Labs, and it’s as much fun to play with as it was to watch. If you run Windows, go play with Photosynth >> UPDATE: Or use Photosynth []

Dog-friendly dog training: Ian Dunbar on TED.com

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Speaking at the 2007 EG conference, trainer Ian Dunbar asks us to see the world through the eyes of our beloved dogs. By knowing our pets’ perspective, we can build their love and trust. It’s a message that resonates well beyond the animal world.(Recorded December 2007 in Los Angeles, California. Duration: 14:46) Watch Ian Dunbar’s []

Tiny battery made of self-assembling viruses

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MIT reports today on the work of professors Yet-Ming Chiang, Angela Belcher and Paula Hammond, who’ve developed a way to build tiny batteries about half the size of a human cell to power tomorrow’s equally tiny devices. The electrolyte of the battery is made of polymers stamped onto a rubbery film. On top of this, []