Can opera be ever-so-slightly sexy? The glorious soprano Danielle de Niese shows how, singing the flirty “Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss.” Which, translated, means, as you might guess: “I kiss so hot.” From Giuditta by Frans Lehár; accompanist: Ingrid Surgenor. (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2011, July 2011, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Duration: 5:55.) [ted id=1235] Watch […]
Every day there are news reports of new health advice, but how can you know if they’re right? Doctor and epidemiologist Ben Goldacre shows us, at high speed, the ways evidence can be distorted, from the blindingly obvious nutrition claims to the very subtle tricks of the pharmaceutical industry. (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2011, July 2011, in […]
Jarreth Merz, a Swiss-Ghanaian filmmaker, came to Ghana in 2008 to film the national elections. What he saw there taught him new lessons about democracy — and about himself. (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2011, July 2011, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Duration: 8:37.) [ted id=1233] Watch Jarreth Merz’s talk on TED.com, where you can download it, rate it, […]
Some kids learn by listening; others learn by doing. Geoff Mulgan gives a short introduction to the Studio School, a new kind of school in the UK where small teams of kids learn by working on projects that are, as Mulgan puts it, “for real.” (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2011, July 2011, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Duration: […]
In honor of Universal Children’s Day, we are excited to announce TEDYouth — November 19, 2011, at the Times Center in New York City. TEDYouth will coincide with more than 85 self-organized TEDxYouthDay events happening worldwide on November 19-21, 2011. The theme for our TEDYouth program is “Play, Learn, Build and Share.” Be inspired and […]
Modern medicine is in danger of losing a powerful, old-fashioned tool: human touch. Physician and writer Abraham Verghese describes our strange new world where patients are merely data points, and calls for a return to the traditional one-on-one physical exam. (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2011, July 2011, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Duration: 18:32.) [ted id=1231] Watch Abraham […]
Studies show that sketching and doodling improve our comprehension — and our creative thinking. So why do we still feel embarrassed when we’re caught doodling in a meeting? Sunni Brown says: Doodlers, unite! She makes the case for unlocking your brain via pad and pen. (Recorded at TED2011, March 2011, in Long Beach, California. Duration: […]
What is killing the Tasmanian devil? A virulent cancer is infecting them by the thousands — and unlike most cancers, it’s contagious. Researcher Elizabeth Murchison tells us how she’s fighting to save the Taz, and what she’s learning about all cancers from this unusual strain. Contains disturbing images of facial cancer. (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2011, […]
HIV is a serious problem in the DR Congo, and aid agencies have flooded the country with free and cheap condoms. But few people are using them. Why? “Reformed marketer” Amy Lockwood offers a surprising answer that upends a traditional model of philanthropy. (Some NSFW images.) (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2011, July 2011, in Edinburgh, Scotland. […]
Over the past few centuries, Western cultures have been very good at creating general prosperity for themselves. Historian Niall Ferguson asks: Why the West, and less so the rest? He suggests half a dozen big ideas from Western culture — call them the 6 killer apps — that promote wealth, stability and innovation. And in […]
TV executive Lauren Zalaznick thinks deeply about pop television. Sharing results of a bold study that tracks attitudes against TV ratings over five decades, she makes a case that television reflects who we truly are — in ways we might not have expected. (Recorded at TEDWomen, December 2010, in Washington, DC. Duration: 13:12.) [ted id=1224] […]
Artist Kate Hartman uses wearable electronics to explore how we communicate, with ourselves and with the world. In this quirky and thought-proviking talk she shows the “Talk To Yourself Hat”, the “Inflatable Heart”, the “Glacier Embracing Suit”, and other unexpected devices. (Recorded at TED 2011, in Long Beach, California. Duration: 9:06.) [ted id=1222] Watch Kate Hartman’s talk […]
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/28859809 w=525&h=294] Watch video >> Kevin Stone: A new method for escaping tall buildings Exclusive video from TED2011: We’ve been building high-rises for a hundred years. But there’s still no good way, in an emergency, to get people out of tall buildings quickly. Kevin Stone asked: Why? At TED2011, he shares what his “Why?” […]
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/14528924 w=601&h=398] Scientific Ph.D. dissertations are notoriously difficult to explain. That’s why, for the past three years Science Magazine has sponsored the Dance Your Ph.D. competition. Scientists, from graduate students to professors, are invited to film an interpretive dance illustrating their research. If that sounds crazy, well, that’s probably because it’s run by John Bohannon […]
TEDxYouthDay is a series of TEDx events designed to empower and inspire youth and kids across the globe! TEDxYouthDay will take place all over the world from Saturday, November 19th through Monday, November 21, 2011 — all around Universal Children’s Day. For 3 days, TEDx organizers across the globe will host events for (and by) […]
Before life existed on Earth, there was just matter, inorganic dead “stuff.” How improbable is it that life arose? And — could it use a different type of chemistry? Using an elegant definition of life (anything that can evolve), chemist Lee Cronin is exploring this question by attempting to create a fully inorganic cell using […]