A TED Blog premiere video: At this year’s TEDActive, in Palm Springs, engineer Bruno Bowden tells the amazing story of NORAD’s quest to track Santa — and how Bruno’s employer now continues the quest: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QabHDoNDpVg] Read more on the official Google Blog >> (This year’s countdown begins Dec. 24 at 2am Eastern.)
Alberto Cairo’s clinics in Afghanistan used to close down during active fighting. Now, they stay open. At TEDxRC2 (the RC stands for Red Cross/Red Crescent), Cairo tells the powerful story of why — and how he found humanity and dignity in the midst of war. (Recorded at TEDxRC2, November 2011, in Geneva, Switzerland. Duration: 19:03) […]
Political prisoners aren’t the only ones being tortured — the vast majority of judicial torture happens in ordinary cases, even in ‘functioning’ legal systems. Social activist Karen Tse shows how we can, and should, stand up and end the use of routine torture. (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2011, July 2011, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Duration: 14:20.) [ted id=1288] […]
At TEDMED, Sheila Nirenberg shows a bold way to create sight in people with certain kinds of blindness: by hooking into the optic nerve and sending signals from a camera direct to the brain. (Recorded at TEDMED 2011, October 2011, in San Diego, California. Duration: 16:00) [ted id=1309] Watch Sheila Nirenberg‘s talk on TED.com, where you […]
Every morning we wake up and regain consciousness — that is a marvelous fact — but what exactly is it that we regain? Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio uses this simple question to give us a glimpse into how our brains create our sense of self. (Recorded at TED2011, March 2011, in Long Beach, California. Duration: 18:43) [ted […]
When Ramona Pierson was 22, she was hit by a drunk driver and spent 18 months in a coma. At TEDxDU she tells the remarkable story of her recovery — drawing on the collective skills and wisdom of a senior citizens’ home. (Recorded at TEDxDU, May 2011. Duration: 11:13) [ted id=1305] Watch Ramona Pierson’s talk on TED.com, […]
We’re only two weeks away from the December 31 deadline for Ads Worth Spreading — TED’s initiative to recognize and reward innovation, ingenuity and intelligence in advertising. Please remember to enter before the holidays are here, as good intentions to submit your incredible work might give way to celebrations and vacations. As a holiday bonus, we’ve got great […]
Homaro Cantu and Ben Roche come from Moto, a Chicago restaurant that plays with new ways to cook and eat food. But beyond the fun and flavor-tripping, there’s a serious intent: Can we use new food technology for good? (Recorded at TED2011, March 2011, in Long Beach, California. Duration: 9:34) [ted id=1304] Watch Homaro Cantu and […]
Announcing TED Live, a year-long membership that offers individuals, schools and small businesses remote access to TED, including “virtual seats” at both the TED and TED Global conferences. “TEDsters have asked us for a convenient and affordable way to enjoy TED all year long. By watching both conferences at their home, work or office; receiving […]
Every day, we use materials from the earth without thinking, for free. But what if we had to pay for their true value: would it make us more careful about what we use and what we waste? Think of Pavan Sukhdev as nature’s banker — assessing the value of the Earth’s assets. Eye-opening charts will […]
Surgeons are taught from textbooks which conveniently color-code the types of tissues, but that’s not what it looks like in real life — until now. At TEDMED Quyen Nguyen demonstrates how a molecular marker can make tumors light up in neon green, showing surgeons exactly where to cut. (Recorded at TEDMED, October 2011, in San Diego, […]
What is a mistake? By talking through examples with his improvisational Jazz quartet, Stefon Harris walks us to a profound truth: many actions are perceived as mistakes only because we don’t react to them appropriately. (Recorded at TEDSalon NY 2011, November 2011, in New York, New York. Duration: 13:11) [ted id=1298] Watch Stefon Harris’s talk on TED.com, […]
How can something as simple as a smile be so deceptively complex? That’s the mystery and magic explored in Smile: The Astonishing Powers of a Simple Act, a new TED Book by Ron Gutman about the sensation and science of the smile. From the broad beaming grin of a toddler to the oily smirk of […]
For the first time in the history of the TED Prize, it is being awarded not to an individual, but to an idea. It is an idea upon which our planet’s future depends: The City 2.0. The City 2.0 is the city of the future… a future in which more than ten billion people on […]
After re-purposing CAPTCHA so each human-typed response helps digitize books, Luis von Ahn wondered how else to use small contributions by many on the Internet for greater good. At TEDxCMU, he shares how his ambitious new project, Duolingo, will help millions learn a new language while translating the Web quickly and accurately — all for […]
We’re taught to try to live life without regret. But why? Using her own tattoo as an example, Kathryn Schulz makes a powerful and moving case for embracing our regrets. (Recorded at TEDSalon NY 2011, November 2011, in New York, New York. Duration: 16:51) [ted id=1287] Watch Kathryn Schulz’s talk on TED.com, where you can download it, […]