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Liu Bolin turns friends into money, a solar cell from recycled car batteries, and fascinating looks at race in America

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As always, many members of the TED community have been popping in the news this week. Below, some highlights.

Liu Bolin uses paint to make himself disappear into backgrounds. In this video from The Creators Project, Bolin shows the next evolution—group versions of his signature work. Watch him turn his friends into money in the video above, painting them as bills and coins. (Watch Liu’s talk, “The invisible man.”)

A few TED-related items from the indispensable IEEE Spectrum: First, a solar cell made from recycled car batteries—that’s the promise of a new paper from battery researcher Angela Belcher and her co-authors at MIT. (Watch Angela’s TED Talk, “Using nature to grow batteries.”)

And — remember Dave Gallo’s famous cuttlefish who disappeared? The research behind it, from Roger Hanlon at Woods Hole, has now inspired electronic camouflage. There’s a jaw-dropping video—not so much for what it can do now, as for what it may be able to do one day. (Watch David’s talk, “Underwater astonishments.”)

Sally Kohn writes a powerful piece for the Daily Beast about the different experiences of black children and white children in the United States. Her point: that 6-year-olds and 9-year-olds should not be treated as potential threats because of their skin color. (Watch Sally’s talk, “Let’s try emotional correctness.”)

Former Missouri state senator and native St. Louisan Jeff Smith reflects on the region’s complicated racial history, and his own experiences navigating race in St. Louis. (Watch Jeff’s TED Talk, “Lessons in business … from prison.”)

Mark Ronson gave a TED Talk about the joys of sampling. Jonny Wilson—better known by his DJ name, Eclectic Method—has taken that bait and remixed the talk into a track. Sing-songy, super-catchy! (Watch Mark’s talk, “A brief history of sampling.”)

Clint Smith’s poetry team slam team clinched the National Poetry Slam, becoming the first delegation from Washington D.C. to do so. (Watch Clint’s TED Talk, “The danger of silence.”)

Milton Glaser, the designer behind “I Heart NY,” has created a logo to rebrand the climate movement. The accompanying slogan is intense: “It’s not warming, it’s dying.” (Watch Milton’s talk, “Using design to make ideas new.”)

Blue whale researcher Asha de Vos is a finalist for the JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World award. Find out how to vote for her. (Read about Asha’s work.)

And speaking of TED Fellows, applications are open for the TED2015 class. Find out more about applying, and about what makes a great TED Fellow.

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