Masterminding a project to model a coral reef in crochet, Margaret Wertheim hopes to share some of the most complicated mathematical models embodied in our universe with the minds (and hands) of the masses. TED’s film + video editor Kari Mulholland talked with Margaret Wertheim last week about the Crochet Coral Reef — as well […]
On Friday, March 27, just as a surge of new deployments was being announced for Afghanistan, the TED Blog talked with military analyst P.W. Singer. Posted today, his TEDTalk discusses the use of robots in modern combat zones. In this interview, he applies his intensive knowledge of robotics and war to the situations the U.S. […]
From the LA Times’ “Culture Monster” blog, this item by Mark Swed: “Linda Ronstadt hails Gustavo Dudamel in testimony on Capitol Hill”: In a remarkable testimony by Linda Ronstadt to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment & Related Agencies Tuesday, the pop singer made an impassioned plea for government support of the arts. And […]
Brenda Laurel spoke at TED in early 1998 — at a watershed moment. In 1997, she launched Purple Moon to make smart computer games aimed at girls. By 1999, the company had come to a much-publicized end. But between start and finish, Purple Moon marked a sea change in the girl-game market. The TED Blog […]
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 […]
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 […]
A bonus TED Prize talk from TED2009: The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra contains the best high school musicians from Venezuela’s life-changing music program, El Sistema, founded by 2009 TED Prize winner Jose Antonio Abreu (watch him make his TED Prize wish to spread this musical education plan around the world). Led here by Gustavo Dudamel, […]
We’ve transcribed Jose Antonio Abreu’s TED Prize wish to use music to transform kids’ lives and posted the full text below the fold. Here’s a snippet: The idea is that the families join with pride and joy in the activities of the orchestras and the choirs their children belong to. The huge spiritual world that […]
Ethan Zuckerman is blogging live from TED2009, and has the latest from the very last session of the conference, “Engage.” In one entry, he shares his memory of being a student at Bennington College when Liz Coleman was appointed president, while she speaks on educational reform. Here’s an excerpt: “In 1993, Coleman eliminated presumptive tenure […]
And here’s the much-discussed Q&A between Bill Gates and TED’s Chris Anderson, which follows Gates’ brand-new TEDTalk. Listen for the answers to more big questions: http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf Download the Q&A here: Bill Gates + Chris Anderson Q&A (Standard MP4) Bill Gates + Chris Anderson Q&A (Hi-Res MP4) Bill Gates + Chris Anderson Q&A (Zipped MP4) Read […]
Cindy Gallop took the stage at TED2009 to premiere her new website: makelovenotporn.com. In language not often heard at TED, this bold personality described her newest project. Some real time reactions from Twitter: In our culture, hard core porn has become a de-facto substitute for sex education: thus, unveiled at TED http://makelovenotporn.com — timoreilly TED […]
Woody Norris shows off an invention that shapes and focuses sound waves, and talks about his untraditional approach to inventing and education. As he puts it: “Almost nothing has been invented yet.” So — what’s next? (Recorded February 2004 in Monterey, California. Duration: 13:49.) Watch Woody Norris’s talk on TED.com, where you can download […]
Sir Ken Robinson‘s new book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, is published today in the United States and on Feb. 12 everywhere. It’s the book he mentions in his TEDTalk … He sends this message to the TED community: “At TED 2006, I talked about creativity and education and the urgent need […]
Technologist and futurist Bill Joy shares several big worries for humanity — and several big hopes in the fields of health, education and future tech. (Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, California. Duration: 19:02.) Watch Bill Joy’s talk from TED2006 on TED.com, where you can download this TEDTalk, rate it, comment on it and find […]
To present BusinessWeek writer Steve Hamm’s new book, The Race for Perfect: Inside the Quest to Design the Ultimate Portable Computer, his own magazine asked the artist Joseph Lambert to turn one chapter into a graphic adaptation. Lambert illustrates the role of Alan Kay, “whose ideas shaped the development of today’s laptops, handhelds, and smartphones.” […]
Looking for something to do with your spare energy post-Nov. 4? Find some inspiration in TEDTalks on: Social change, activism and fighting poverty >> Creativity and art >> Way-new education >> Suggest your own favorites in the comments below or via email to contact@ted.com.