TEDBlog February, 2009 Archive
27 February 2009
Twitter Snapshot: RT @Twitter "tweeting the Twitter"
Today, Twitter co-founder Evan Williams’ talk from TED2009 was posted and we all began to tweet, creating a labyrinth of self-reference. Here are a few choice selections from the day’s activity:
Twitter State of the Union, courtesy of TED.com. Definitely an idea worth spreading. — tapdraw
Watching @ev present at TED on video about Twitter and tweeting it. That is just inneresting. — kwells2416
just saw a nice little TED talk on Twitter… made me excited for our times :) — rcajias
TED talk on Twitter – quite interesting, lots I didn’t know about it’s development — icepoet
twitter on TED been waiting for this one — biyingw
Can’t … resist … tweeting the twitter TED talk — eulenherr
eating a turkey sandwich and watching a talk about twitter on Ted.com — michaelbyers
Another little slice of life, via Twitter.
27 February 2009
In New York this weekend? Love Eric Lewis?
TED2009 favorite Eric Lewis is playing this Sunday at Joe’s Pub. This amazing improvisatory pianist (whom many people saw for the first time at TED) wowed the audience in two onstage sets and some legendary late-night gigs in Long Beach. Come see what the fuss was about, in New York this Sunday night. Tickets are $20, and are available online.
Sunday, March 1, 7:30
Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette Street, near Astor Place, New York
212-967-7555
And watch for Eric Lewis’ TEDTalk, set to be posted next week on TED.com …
Eric Lewis at TED2009, Session 9: Grow, Feb. 6, 2009, Long Beach, CA. Credit: TED / James Duncan Davidson
27 February 2009
How to talk while people are Twittering
Three weeks ago, while Evan Williams was onstage at TED2009 talking about Twitter, his audience became an army of #TED tweeters, hunched over their mobile devices, simultaneously listening and creating a written narrative of @Ev’s 8 minutes onstage. Chris Anderson and Evan talked about this in their Q&A: the idea that while a speaker is onstage, there’s a constant backchannel of reaction and communication that the speaker can access (“if you’re brave enough,” said Chris).
Evan made a joke about pulling his phone out during his TEDTalk to check his tweets — but a provocative essay making the rounds this week suggests that presenters actually should. It’s a well-thought-out piece on how to talk while people are Twittering — and makes the case that, far from being terrifying, the Twitter backchannel is a good thing for 12 reasons. Here’s one:
As a presenter, the idea of presenting while people are talking about you is disconcerting. But to balance that, there are huge benefits to the individual members of the audience and to the overall output of a conference or meeting.
1. It helps audience members focus
As a presenter, you might be worried that the backchannel will be distracting. The opposite seems to be true. Dean Shareski says:
The more I’m allowed to interact and play with the content the more engaged and ultimately the more learning happens. The more the presentation relies on the back channel, the more I focus. Knowing that my comments are going to be seen by the presenter or live participants, seems to make me pay more attention.
Rachel Happe adds:
Twitter allows me to add my perspective to what is being presented and that keeps me more engaged than just sitting and listening – even if no one reads it.
The full essay appears on Pistachio Consulting‘s blog, and comes from New Zealand-based speaker coach Olivia Mitchell.
What do you think, though? One much-loved aspect of TED and TEDTalks is the luxury of contemplation — the idea of devoting your attention to one thing for 18 minutes and seeing what other thoughts and connections are stirred up. Does the Twitter backchannel enhance or destroy this? As Twitter and chat redefine the experience of watching and giving a TEDTalk, will we in the audience start to miss the experience of being physically present and absorbed in what’s happening in front of our eyes?
27 February 2009
Listening to Twitter: Evan Williams on TED.com
Twitter has won a small army of lifecasting converts, with its bite-sized notes and instant-gratification communication. Co-founder Evan Williams reveals some startling things he’s learned from Twitter users, and the way they’ve driven his business forward. (Recorded in February 2009 in Long Beach, California. Duration: 08:00.)
Watch Evan Williams’s talk from TED2009 on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 390+ TEDTalks — including more talks about business.
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27 February 2009
Uncovering the footprints of early walking humans
As published today in the journal Science, a dig near Ileret, Kenya, has uncovered early human footprints in a streambed — quite possibly, evidence of the first hominids who walked on two legs as a matter of course. In the Philadelphia Inquirer‘s well-reported story, “Footprints offer clue on path to modern man,” TED2009 speaker Nina Jablonski offers her opinion on the fossil impressions:
… There is no doubt that the new prints are a rare find, and that the creatures who made them were spending not most, but all of their time on two feet, said Nina Jablonski, head of the anthropology department at Pennsylvania State University.
Their long, efficient strides would have allowed them to stray from the wood’s edge, crossing open spaces to find other sources of food and possibly do some hunting, said Jablonski, who was not involved with the research.
This would in turn allow for the continued development of a larger brain — a process that already was under way as early humans spent less time in trees, freeing up their hands to accomplish more complex tasks.
NPR’s story has more reactions from scientists, and more photos, including the image illustrating this post.
Learn more about the hunt for early humans in Africa via this TEDTalk from Louise Leakey >>
Photo: This fossil footprint found near Ileret, Kenya, is 1.5 million years old. These footprints are the oldest ever found of the human genus. Image: Matthew Bennett/Bournemouth University, via NPR.org
26 February 2009
Making art of New York's urban ruins: Miru Kim on TED.com
At the 2008 EG Conference, artist Miru Kim talks about her work. Kim explores industrial ruins underneath New York and then photographs herself in them, nude — to bring these massive, dangerous, hidden spaces into sharp focus. (Recorded December 2008 in Monterey, California. Duration: 14:31.)
Watch Miru Kim’s talk from the 2008 EG Conference on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 385+ TEDTalks — including more talks about exploration.
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25 February 2009
On living and diving: An exclusive interview with Richard Pyle
To say that Richard Pyle is a multifaceted personality is an understatement. He is a world-renowned diver, evolutionary biologist, dive technology pioneer, database developer and author. But all his talents have grown to facilitate one love — fish. His 2004 TEDTalk demonstrates how he pushed the boundaries of diving in his endeavor to document new species.
In an interview with the TED Blog on Friday, Richard shared his environmental convictions, his life philosophy and an intimate story on losing a friend.
Here’s an excerpt:
In human history, we are the equivalent of a bunch of kindergartners running through the Library of Congress, not realizing the true value of its books. 100 years from now, we’ll be in high school and understand the difference between “See Spot Run” and Shakespeare. But, if extinction rates continue, we may not learn to read properly before it’s actually gone.
Read the full interview after the jump >>
25 February 2009
Exploring the reef's Twilight Zone: Richard Pyle on TED.com
In this illuminating talk, Richard Pyle shows us thriving life on the cliffs of coral reefs and groundbreaking diving technologies he has pioneered to explore it. He and his team risk everything to reveal the secrets of undiscovered species. (Recorded February 2004 in Monterey, California. Duration: 16:48.)
Watch Richard Pyle’s talk from TED2004 on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 385+ TEDTalks — including more talks about exploration.
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24 February 2009
Sailing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Capt. Charles Moore on TED.com
Capt. Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation first discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — an endless floating waste of plastic trash. Now he’s drawing attention to the growing, choking problem of plastic debris in our seas. (Recorded at TED University during TED2009, February 2009 in Long Beach, California. Duration: 07:20.)
Watch Capt. Charles Moore’s talk from TED University 2009 on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 385+ TEDTalks — including more talks about our oceans.
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23 February 2009
On building blocks: exclusive interview with David Merrill on Siftables
David Merrill is a grad student in the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT’s Media Lab. He and his fellow students in this group work on new technologies that give us more and better abilities to do things we want to do. At TED2009 he gave a demo of his main project, Siftables.
Today the TED Blog interviewed Merrill to get some details about the Siftables project — and answers to some questions that many have asked since his demo. Here’s a snippet:
I have heard so many people say: “My kids will love these. When can I get some?” The realization has been hitting us over the past few months that the potential for kid-oriented interactions is huge and meaningful.
Find the full interview with David Merrill below the fold >>
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