Cesar Kuriyama: One second every day

“Basically, I’m recording one second of every day of my life for the rest of my life—chronologically compiling these one-second, tiny slices of my life into one single continuous video,” says Kuriyama in today’s talk. Why? “I hate not remembering things that I’ve done in the past,” he says.

When Kuriyama turns 40, he’ll have a one-hour video encapsulating his 30s. And when he turns 80, he’ll have a five-hour video spanning 50 years. In this talk, he reveals what he recorded in the first 365 days of the project — both the glorious and the painful.

Naturally, Kuriyama was curious what others would do with this tool. And so he took to Kickstarter, where more than 11,000 people funded his efforts to create a 1 Second Everyday app. It’s available for iOS now, and will soon be available for Android.  Below, see some of the videos created with it.

Ryan Kawailani Ozawa—who describes himself as a father, husband and web geek—downloaded the app for the new year. Here’s his January 2013, in a beautiful 31 seconds.

A friend of Kuriyama’s, Kathy Monahan set out to record all of 2012, editing the footage together herself since the app wasn’t available yet. Watch her year unfold, from concerts to learning how to use a crossbow.

Arseny Vez of in St. Petersburg, Russia, shares his January 2012 using the app.

Think 1 Second Everyday is for the dogs? Possibly. Here, a user has captured January 2013 in the life of their dog, Henry.

A look at January 2013 in Amsterdam.

From ultrasounds to what’s for dinner, John Mezzepesa captured December 2012 and January 2013.

Ben Nesvig’s French bulldog is just one of the stars of his video of January 2013.

Martha Denton filmed January 2013 in New York City, Milwaukee and Detroit.

Pedro Sostre edited together one second from every iPhone video he’s taken over the past five years.

Robbie Marr brings you January 2013 in Brighton, England.

Chicken and waffles figure greatly in Oliver Church’s 2013 thus far.

Laura Ferenc captured both December and January 2013. She writes, “This left-brain heavy, non-creative bookkeeper is taking a bit more time noticing things each day.”

The second half of 2013, as captured by Collin Ferry.

While our culture tends to laud extroverts — people who are outgoing, social and high on charisma — Cain stood up for the introverts of the world in her talk.

Susan Cain: The power of introverts

“Our most important institutions, our schools and our workplaces, they are designed mostly for extroverts and for extroverts’ need for lots of stimulation,” says Cain. “This is our loss for sure, but it is also our colleagues’ loss and our communities’ loss. And at the risk of sounding grandiose, it is the world’s loss. Because when it comes to creativity and to leadership, we need introverts doing what they do best.”

In the past year, Cain’s talk has been viewed nearly 4 million times. Meanwhile, her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking became a New York Times bestseller. With the paperback of the book now on bookstore shelves, the TED Blog spoke — softly — to Cain about the experience of the past year.

Do you feel like Quiet has made a dent in the cultural bias toward extroversion?

Yes, and it started within minutes of giving my TED talk! One member of the audience was Jim Hackett, the CEO of Steelcase — a self-identified introvert and just a lovely fellow. He told me he’d been thinking for years about ways to encourage employee privacy at work. His company has spent the last year working on this question. And Herman Miller, the office furniture manufacturer, is following the same path.

Since then, I’ve heard from other businesses who are using the ideas in Quiet to rethink their corporate culture, and from schools asking their teachers to read the book and question practices like grading children on class participation.

I’ve also heard many stories of individuals empowered by the message of the book. Just last night, I met a lovely young woman who said she’d always wanted to be an entrepreneur but was afraid she was too quiet to pull it off. But after she saw my TED talk, she started her own company.

What are some of the most basic things we can do in schools and offices to make sure introverts are in their element and that their voices get heard?


In workplaces, we need to dramatically rethink open office design. These spaces are so economical that I don’t expect them to disappear, but they desperately need to be balanced with private nooks and crannies. Also, it’s fine to organize people into teams, but that doesn’t mean the actual work has to get done collectively. Most people think better when they’re on their own and not subject to constant interruption and scrutiny.

In schools, I am just going to repeat what I said in my TED talk, almost a year ago now: stop the madness for constant groupwork. Constant groupwork is even bad for extroverted kids. According to psychologist Anders Ericsson’s research on how people become stars, excellence depends not on talent but on sustained, deliberate practice that is often conducted in solitude.

Now that you’ve been speaking about this book for a year, do you feel any more extroverted?

No way! Yes, I’m more comfortable giving speeches than I used to be. Yes, I feel lucky and grateful to connect with so many great audiences. But I will always feel most at peace when I’m home with my family, or lounging around a café with my laptop and a latte in hand.

If you were starting over in writing this book today, what would you include that wasn’t in the original text?


I wouldn’t change much about the book. But I wish I’d had reader resources ready and waiting to go, at publication date. Every day, teachers and businesspeople ask me for tools they can use to harness the talents of the introverts in their lives. And regular people ask me for help with dating, schmoozing, public speaking and career choices.

Right now I’m developing an online course in public speaking for introverts. And I’m planning a young-adult version of Quiet. But there’s so much more to do.

The truth is, this is a job not for one person but for hundreds, thousands, maybe millions. Luckily, many other people have started to write about and work on these issues, too. (I’ve listed some of them in the “Resources” area of my website.) There truly is a Quiet Revolution afoot. I really hope that people reading this will think about the places in your own world that you’re in a position to influence.

Is there anything new that readers will find in the paperback?


Yes, lots of stuff. The paperback now opens with my 10-point manifesto for introverts. And in the back of the book, there’s a new reader’s guide, list of introverts in literature, and other resources — tips on public speaking for introverts, tips for parenting an introverted child. Also, tips for educators.

Want more? You can find Cain on Facebook. Or head to her very comprehensive website »

A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and former senior vice president of marketing and communications at Sony Pictures, Levy has always been fascinated by the sleights of hand that filmmakers use to create illusions. And he knows he is far from alone. In the 117 years since the Lumière Brothers terrified audiences with their Train Pulling Into a Station (1896), Levy explores how visual effects have evolved.

“With complete control of everything the audience can see, movie makers have created an arsenal of techniques to further their deceptions,” says Levy. “Playing with the world and our perception of it really is the essence of visual effects.”

But Levy knows that words cannot capture the goosebump-raising experience of seeing something wonderful on a big screen. So, with the help of the Academy, he created an exclusive video for TED showing the evolution of effects. This thrilling montage pairs similar clips from different points in the history of film — George Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902) compared to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968’s Academy Award winner for Visual Effects) and Avatar (Visual Effects Oscar winner in 2009), and the crowd scenes of Ben Hur (1925) contrasted with those in Gladiator (which won the 2000 Oscar for Visual Effects).

Watch Levy’s talk, which is a feast for the eyes and imagination. Here, see eight more talks about movie magic.

TED Talks often get 100 or more comments — usually a mixed bag of kudos, critiques and questions. Looking back on the year, we’d like to share a few comments that wowed us. These intelligent, observant contributions took the talks beyond their 18 minutes and into an ongoing conversation.

Every speaker appreciates a “Great job!” but here’s a beautifully worded example of how to go deeper. If a talk truly moved you, take some time to reflect on why. If you disagree with the critics, elaborate on why the speaker’s ideas are worth defending. With civility to spare, this comment provides a powerful counterpoint to a dissenter’s opinion.

Below, commenter Ziska Childs defends Bryan Stevenson’s “We need to talk about an injustice”:

“Yes, I was in the audience. Yes, this struck a primal chord. Yes, I do ask “Why this speech above all others?” Perhaps it is because I have seen black men and women step off the sidewalk to let me pass. Perhaps it is because I have seen old white women walk to the front of the line. Perhaps it is because I know in my heart of hearts that this is close to the core of what is a uniquely US cultural disconnect. Bryan spoke not about the privilege of wealth to a wealthy privileged audience but the privilege of Justice.

Justice. Justice is not vending machine forgiveness. Justice is not a punishment exponentially greater than the crime. Justice is not choosing to punish the criminal over healing the victim. (Ideally the punishment would heal the hurt.)

I choose to believe that someone who recognizes the systematic murder of 12 million human beings as immoral can also see the fingerweight on the scales of Justice against the African American as unconscionable.

I choose to believe that compassion is neither exclusive nor finite.

I choose to believe that learning from history is better than ignoring history.

What Mr. Stevenson asked for was ‘Justice’ with the scales set level from the start. I choose to believe that is good.”

2012 has been big for TED — it’s the year we reached a billion video views and upped the TED Prize to one million dollars. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, here is a glimpse of the year in photos, taken at TED events as far-flung as Long Beach, Edinburgh, Doha and New York. We hope that you enjoy our favorite TED photos of the year.

Above, cyborg artist Neil Harbisson explains how an orange sounds at TEDGlobal. Photo by James Duncan Davidson.

TED Fellow Robert Gupta warms up for his talk — about choosing between medical school and the violin — at TEDGlobal. Photo by Ryan Lash.

John Bohannon talks and Black Label Movement dances at TED2012; together they tell a moving story of sex ed. Photo by James Duncan Davidson.

Two modes of transportation to the TEDxSummit in Qatar — car and camel. Photo by Kris Krüg.

Salman Shaikh speaks on Middle East conflict at TED@Doha, one of our 14 Talent Search events, held on the TEDxSummit main stage. Photo by James Duncan Davidson.

From the mouths of muppets: A talk from Scooter at TED2012. Photo by James Duncan Davidson.

Amy Cuddy reveals the universal symbol for joy at TEDGlobal, as demonstrated by Usain Bolt. Photo by James Duncan Davidson.

High wire artist Philippe Petit speaks in the session “The Campfire” at TED2012. Photo by Ryan Lash.

TEDx organizers on a triumphant hike on Arthur’s Seat during TEDGlobal. Photo by Bret Hartman.

A TEDYouth attendee turns a yogurt cup into a speaker. Photo by Ryan Lash.

Bryan Stevenson gives one of the year’s most inspiring talks, at TED2012. Photo by James Duncan Davidson.

Ideas in the round: The classic TED University stage in Edinburgh. Photo by James Duncan Davidson and Ryan Lash.

TED curator Chris Anderson with 13-year-old inventor Richard Turere at TED@Nairobi, one of the 14 stops on the TED Talent Search.

Chip Kidd judges books by their covers at TED2012. Photo by James Duncan Davidson.

Quixotic Fusion rehearses a dance with light at TED2012. Photo by James Duncan Davidson.

Slam poets David Fasanya and Gabriel Barralaga jump around on the TEDYouth stage. Photo by Ryan Lash.

As TEDYouth attendees excitedly engage with a speaker, they give adults hope for the next generation. Photo by Ryan Lash.

Years ago, Steven Addis’s wife photographed him holding their 1-year-old daughter on the corner of 57 Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City. On her second birthday, the family happened to be back in the city, so headed to the same corner for daddy-daughter photo, round two. The next year, Addis brought his daughter back to New York — on purpose, this time — to take the same photograph.

This annual ritual is now 15 years strong. And in today’s talk, filmed at TED2012, Addis shares his “15 most treasured photos,” all but the first two snapped by strangers he handed his camera to. The most recent image drew big laughs from the TED audience, as Addis is holding his now-teenaged daughter in his arms. She appears to be nearly his height.

“These photos are far more than proxies for a single moment or even a specific trip,” Addis says. “They are also ways for us to freeze time for one week in October and reflect on time and how we change from year to year—and not just physically, but in every way. Because while we take the same photo, our perspectives change.”

Addis’s hope in sharing this metamorphosis through photographs is to encourage others to take “an active role in consciously creating memories.”

To see Addis’ father-daughter photo series, watch his moving talk.  And below, a look at others who are realizing the power of the same image repeated over time in impressive, funny and meaningful time-lapse projects.

1. When he turned 30, Cesar Kuriyama decided to start filming one second every single day. The cut-together snippets show adventure, boredom, illness, nature, coffee, computers — that is, life, alternately exciting and mundane. Kuriyama gave the talk “Filming one second every day” at TED2012 about this now lifelong project.

Recently, Kuriyama has been working on a 1 Second Everyday App. This month, he took to Kickstarter to fund it. With over a week to go, the project already has twice the amount Kuriyama needed to get the app off the ground. Read the TED Blog’s Q&A with Kuriyama about why he decided to create the app, so others could film their lives too.

2. In a similar (and similarly beautiful) project, Dutch filmmaker and artist Frans Hofmeester filmed his daughter, Lotte, every day from birth to age 12. They do grow up fast—in under three minutes, in this case.

3. Last week, the New York Times’s Op-Docs team put out a video chronicling a day in the life of a piano on a street in New York City’s Washington Heights. This short film, by Anthony Sherin, has a gripping narrative arc—and inspires an unusual degree of empathy toward the piano, a.k.a. an inanimate object. (Spoiler: get out some tissues.)

4. And now for something completely different: this exuberant video of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, is not just another cityscape time-lapse, argues Mashable: it “may just take the genre to a whole new level,” using “quick cuts, neck-twisting camera angles and a pumped up soundtrack to mesmerizing effect.” You may be inspired to visit, or at least to go party at a nightclub.

5. Still have that box of tissues handy? This video of the Milky Way, shot during May evenings in South Dakota, is the kind of majestic footage that makes you reflect on your place in the world. The videographer, Randy Halverson, has made a number of other time-lapse videos as well.

6. For the past 30 years, a family in China has held a photo ritual that is strikingly similar to Addis’. On Father’s Day, 31-year-old daughter Zhao Meng Meng posted on Weibo images of herself with her father, one taken every of year of her life. The amazing images quickly went viral.

“The birds and the bees” and “the facts of life.” These are the terms adults have come up with when it comes to talking to kids about sex. At TED2012, writer John Bohannon showed dismay at the fact that adults don’t feel comfortable talking to kids about sex, or drugs for that matter, without resorting to scare tactics. In an acrobatic performance — choreographed by Carl Flink, danced by Black Label Movement and scored by celloists Jelloslave — the talk calls for adults to address about these difficult subjects in the same way they would have wanted to hear about them when they were teens.

On Monday, December 17, Bohannon and Flink sat down for a live Q&A with the TED Conversations community, asking everyone to share what they remember of the sex talk they got as a teen. Read the full discussion — and see some of the most interesting interactions below.

Jordan Reeves stated:

I’m gay, but my parents talked to me about how sex works between a man and a woman. I wonder if any of you parents will talk to your kids about heterosexual AND homosexual relations. I mean, many of these kids already have preferences, but for those that do not, I think it’s important to inform them about sex in the most general terms (between two people that are in love or two people that are attracted to each other — not just between a man and a woman). Does that make sense?

John Bohannon responded:

My sense is that society has a long way to go before any but the most liberated heterosexual parents will talk to their kids about homosexuality. But I hope that will change fast.

And Carl Flink chimed in:

Fantastic question, Jordan. This is something that we have already had multiple conversations about in our household. The various debates around so-called “Marriage Amendments” prompted us to have talks with our daughters about what marriage is and how we as parents think about it. It was so interesting to hear from my 10-year-old before we ever said anything to them about this, “Dad, I don’t understand why I can’t marry anyone that I love and want to be with.” Wow, from the mouths of babes.

Shobit Puri wrote: 

I remember: my father took me to a separate room and asked me some questions before he actually explained me everything literally. I remember few of them. The first question was: did you ever feel something when you woke up in the morning? It was followed by another one: he asked me to try and remember if I saw any beautiful classmates of mine in my dreams?

The conversation was pretty much direct. I really appreciated that. I am proud that it happened and I came to know everything from my father, instead of friends telling different stories.

I think, being a doctor, it was easier for him and he was comfortable talking to me about it. I agree that normally it’s rare.

To which Carl Flink responded:

Thanks for sharing this Shobhit.

I know it’s not on the topic of sex, but I want to also say that John Bohannon is a fearless TED Speaker. How many TED Speakers are there who would be willing to do their entire TALK while being moved upside down, laying on people’s heads, etc. He’s a brave man!

Carl Flink stated:

Something that occurs to me as we have this conversation is that there are many facets to this conversation to consider. There is learning about how we reproduce, there is learning about how our particular reproduction can be pleasurable and there is talking about the enormous spectrum of sexuality that is happening with no goal of reproduction. These are all things to consider talking about with our children and have differing layers of discomfort for us as parents and educators.

To which Lauren Baker responded:

I think that’s one more reason why it shouldn’t be one “talk” but rather be an open topic to talk about as more questions come up.

Radio host Julie Burstein has found the perfect analogy for creativity—raku pottery. A Japanese art form in which molded clay is heated for 15 minutes and then dropped in sawdust which bursts into flames, what makes this pottery so beautiful is its imperfections and cracks.

Burstein interviewed hundred of artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers for her book, Spark: How Creativity Works, and heard many of them describe their process in similar terms — that the best parts of their work came from embracing challenges, misfortunes and the things they simply couldn’t control. As Burstein explains in this talk given at TED2012, “I realized that creativity grows out of everyday experiences more often than you would think.”

In this talk, Burstein identifies four lessons that creative people should embrace:

1. Pay attention to the world around you, and be open to experiences that might change you.
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2. Realize that the best work often comes out of the life experiences that are most difficult.
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3. Get comfortable with the fact that pushing up against a limitation can actually help you find your voice.
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4. Don’t be afraid to explore loss — be it rejection, heartbreak or death — because making beauty out of these things is so powerful.

To hear how Burstein learned these lessons from filmmaker Mira Nair, writer Richard Ford, sculptor Richard Serra and photographer Joel Meyerowitz, listen to her wonderful talk. And after the jump, nine more talks on the nature of creativity.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius
Author Elizabeth Gilbert is confused by how our culture regards writers and other artists—as people on the brink who are too easily undone by their talent. In this talk from TED2009, Gilbert reframes how we think about creativity—that rather than there being “geniuses” among us, that all of us have a bit of genius within us.

David Kelley: How to build your creative confidence
David Kelley of IDEO fully agrees with Elizabeth Gilbert. In this talk from TED2012, he shares why he believes it is problematic to think of society as split into the creatives and the technical-minded. Here, he shares how people who think of themselves as the latter can build up their creative muscles, as we all have them — whether we know it or not.

Isaac Mizrahi on fashion and creativity
Where does Isaac Mizrahi get ideas? From pretty much everywhere. In this talk from TED2008, Mizrahi shares how his creative process heeds him to pay attention to tarot card readers and to the unique coloration of film, as well as to hop out of cabs and follow people who strike him as interesting on the streets of New York City.

Amy Tan: Where does creativity hide
Amy Tan became a writer because she found herself fascinated with one question: why do things happen the way they happen? In this talk from TED2008, Tan shares why it is so appealing to be the creator of her own universes — the one responsible for pulling strings and creating meaning.

Steven Johnson: Where good ideas come from
When people tell the story of an invention, they usually describe a “eureka” moment. But author Steven Johnson wonders if that might be a fallacy. In this talk from TEDGlobal 2010, Johnson looks at how breakthroughs are slow to build and usually happen in dialogue with other thinkers of the time.

Janet Echelman: Taking imagination seriously
Artist Janet Echelman is known for creating enormous, undulating sculptures out of fishnets. So how did she come up with this unconventional form? In this talk from TED2011, Echelman explains that she found her voice when her paints went missing on a trip to a fishing village in India, and she was forced to work in a new medium.

Kirby Ferguson: Embrace the remix
In this talk from TEDGlobal 2012, Kirby Ferguson unleashes a bold idea: that maybe creative types shouldn’t be so concerned with originality. As Ferguson sees it, creativity is all about copying, transforming and remixing things that already exist. In Ferguson’s eye, everything is a remix.

Malcolm McLaren: Authentic creativity vs. karaoke culture
The manager of the Sex Pistols, Malcolm McLaren helped shape the counterculture of the late ‘70s and ‘80s. In his final speech before passing away in 2010, McLaren shares his fears about what he calls “karaoke culture,” where success is about mimicry rather than emotional honesty. Because as McLaren sees it, no one should be shielded from the messy, difficult struggle of creating something new.

Tim Brown: Tales of creativity and play
What is the difference between being a designer and just playing around? Not as much as most people think, says Tim Brown, the CEO of IDEO. At Serious Play 2008, Brown shares how building a successful firm was as easy as giving employees a place to experiment without fear of being judged — just like kids do on a daily basis.

The answer to this clue from last night’s Jeopardy? Who are ‘introverts,’ of course. The TED staff was excited to see Susan Cain, who gave the blockbuster talk “The power of introverts” at TED2012, name-checked in an episode of the classic game show.

In today’s thrilling TED-Ed lesson, Bill Nye the Science Guy admits that he has S.O.D., otherwise known as Sundial Obsessive Disorder. But there is a good reason for it — a sundial helped Nye’s father escape from a prison camp in China during World War II, launching a lifelong obsession that Nye eventually picked up himself.

At an event several years ago, Nye caught a glimpse of a device — called a “photometric calibration target” — that would soon be on its way to Mars on the outside of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. The device was essentially a test pattern for cameras — a metal post with gray rings around it — that would allow them to gauge the color of the Martian sky. Nye had an “aha” moment. These devices could easily be turned into sundials, charting the progression of time on the red planet.

Because of Nye’s suggestion, a sundial has now been on Mars.

To hear the amazing story of how Nye’s father escaped from prison camp, and how exactly this Martian sundial works, watch Nye’s wonderful talk. And after the jump, watch seven more talks about Mars.

Joel Levine: Why we need to go back to Mars
The surface of Mars was not what was expected, says atmospheric scientist Joel Levine in this talk from TEDxNasa. Levine explains the tantalizing hints of past life — including craters of ice and evidence of ancient oceans — and why we need more research on the planet.

Penelope Boston says there might be life on Mars
Cave scientist Penelope Boston believes that there is a 25 to 50 percent chance that the Mars Rovers didn’t find life on Mars because said life is inhabiting deep caves.  At TED2006, she gives ideas on where — and how — we should continue the search.

Cynthia Breazeal: The rise of personal robots
The first robot landed on Mars in 1997. So how is it possible that we don’t have them in our homes and offices yet? In this talk from TEDWomen, Cynthia Breazeal explains her work in teaching robots to interact with human beings.

Charles Elachi on the Mars Rovers
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab has become the stuff of legends. At Serious Play 2008, director Charles Elachi tells behind-the-scenes stories and shows rarely seen footage recorded by the Mars Rover project.

Stephen Petranek counts down to Armageddon
What will bring on the end of the world, and what is our best chance for surviving it? In this talk from TED2002, Stephen Petranek describes how we could go about “terraforming” Mars — a process that could take hundreds of years.

Jon Nguyen: Tour the solar system from home
Jon Nguyen is the Visualization Software Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In this talk from TEDxSanDiego, he demos a tool that allows anyone to explore the solar system in detail — even take a trip to Mars — using data provided by spacecrafts in orbit.

Burt Rutan sees the future of space
In this talk from TED2006, spacecraft designer Burt Rutan admits that Mars was not quite as interesting as space enthusiasts had hoped. But he believes that is in part because NASA used robots for the mission to the planet and explored only the deserts. A call for entrepreneurs to pick up the slack in government funding for space exploration.