The TED2013 speakers found through our 14-city talent searchThe theme of TED2013 is “The Young. The Wise. The Undiscovered.” So how did we find those undiscovered speakers with incredible stories to share? From April to June 2012, TED held a worldwide talent search. Working with TEDx organizers in 14 cities across the globe — Amsterdam, Bangalore, Doha, Johannesburg, London, Nairobi, New York, São […]
Favorites of 2012: Sometimes it takes a village to make a transcript2012 was the year of radical openness at TED. In that spirit, while our office is closed for winter break, TED’s editorial staffers have selected their favorite talks of the year … giving you a peek into both our process and our personalities. We hope you enjoy. I’m impressed and intimidated by people who can give a […]
Jeff Smith: The rest of his political incarceration storyJeff Smith was blown away by some of the brilliant business ideas he heard while spending 366 days in prison between 2009 and 2010. “[Prison] was teeming with smart, ambitious men whose business instincts were in many cases as sharp as those of the CEOs who had wined and dined me six months earlier when […]
4 talks that will change the way you think about soapLudwick Marishane is the youngest person in South Africa to hold a patent. His invention? A “bath without water,” a lotion called DryBath. In today’s talk, filmed during the Johannesburg stop of the TED2013 Talent Search, Marishane shares how this unusual product came to be. When he was 17, he was sunbathing with a few […]
7 talks on animals that have bad reputationsIn today’s talk, Munir Virani extols the virtues of vultures. Despite our harsh judgments of these funny-looking birds, Virani explains that they are natural garbage collectors and that they kill harmful bacteria that might otherwise threaten us, as well as our livestock. As of now, 11 of the world’s 16 vulture species are facing extinction. […]
Great moments in letter writingA letter — be it handwritten or typed — feels like an unpremeditated revelation, a glimpse into the writer’s subconscious. Letters are, also, often rooted to the place where they were written: a cozy armchair, a backyard hammock, the corner desk of a classroom, a train. It’s this physical and temporal presence that enables a […]
9 talks about innovation in IndiaArunachalam Muruganantham may not seem like the most obvious person to have started a revolution in sanitary napkins — after all, he is male. But in this funny and uplifting talk, given at the TED Talent Search in Bangalore, Muruganantham describes how he is enabling women in India to make their own pads — all […]
TED2013 Talent Search talks coming to TED.comEarlier this year, TED headed on the road to 14 cities around the globe, on a hunt for untapped speakers for TED2013: “The Young. The Wise. The Undiscovered.” Holding one-night salons in cities ranging from São Paulo to New York to Nairobi to Shanghai, TED invited a slew of speakers to give the talk of […]
A beautiful reflection on “normal”Faith Jegede would prefer that you not call her normal. In today’s powerful talk, given at the TED Talent Search London stop, Faith Jegede introduces you to her two brothers — Remy, 22, and Samuel, 16 — who are both autistic and extraordinary. “Remy’s speechless but he communicates joy in a way that some of […]
Playlist: Tales of cultural heritage shared at the TED2013 Talent SearchAs we crisscrossed the globe to find you fresh perspectives for TED2013 in our worldwide Talent Search, a common theme emerged: cultural heritage in the 21st century. The tangible, intangible and natural elements that define our ways of life touch every aspect of our existence — from language to landscapes to religion to architecture. And they […]
Playlist: Talks about the animal kingdom from the TED2013 Talent SearchAs humans, we fail to think of ourselves as incorporated into the animal kingdom, But with these eight talks, you might see how we factor into the food chain. From extinct species, to warding off growing ones, these speakers from the 14-city TED Talent Search have seen it all, so listen to their stories of […]
Playlist: Thoughts on energy efficiency from the TED2013 Talent SearchAs unusual seasonal effects raze our global ideas on sustainable practices, TED set out on a tour of 14 cities on six continents to find fresh perspectives for the TED2013 conference. While the 293 speakers who participated in this global Talent Search came from wildly different backgrounds, we couldn’t help but notice sweeping themes emerge […]
From finger painting to intercontinental missiles: Highlights from TED@TokyoThis spring, TED headed on the road, visiting 14 cities across six continents on the hunt for untapped talent. The idea behind the sweeping search: to let you, the TED community, weigh in and vote on which speakers you’d like to see ascend the stage at TED2013. After holding one-night salons in Amsterdam, Bangalore, Doha, […]
From silent conductors to manta rays: Highlights from TED@JohannesburgThis spring, TED headed on the road, visiting 14 cities across six continents on the hunt for untapped talent. The idea behind the sweeping search: to let you, the TED community, weigh in and vote on which speakers you’d like to see ascend the stage at TED2013. After holding one-night salons in Amsterdam, Bangalore, Doha, […]
Great Minds Think Alike: Making the morning commute more humaneA friend recently told me this story: The first time he took his daughter, age 4, on the New York City subway at 9 o’clock in the morning, she anxiously tugged on his sleeve and motioned for him to bend down. She whispered: “Are these people all mad at each other?” New York strap-hangers know […]
