Inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil illustrates the increasingly exponential evolution of technology, predicting a sharp rise in computing capability, robotics and life expectancy within the next 15 years. He outlines the shocking ways we’ll use technology to augment our own capabilities, forever blurring the lines between human and machine. A prolific inventor, Kurzweil developed the […]
Wired Editor-at-large Kevin Kelly traces the remarkable similarities between the evolution of biology and technology, ultimately declaring technology the “7th kingdom of life.” He poses an intriguing question: “What does technology want?” As we hurdle forward, evolving increasingly complex, biological and independent machines, how will it affect our humanity? Kelly, widely regarded as an expert […]
Skeptic Magazine founder Michael Shermer takes us on a hilarious romp through the strange claims we humans put forth as truth — from alien encounters to Virgin Mary sightings on pizza pies, to hidden messages revealed while playing “Stairway to Heaven” backwards — and explains the evolutionary and cognitive basis for these lapses in reason. […]
Statistician Peter Donnelly explores the common mistakes humans make in interpreting statistics, and the devastating impact these errors can have on the outcome of criminal trials. Donnelly is a Statistics professor at Oxford who collaborates with biologists, applying statistical models to genetics, with the hope of shedding more light on evolutionary history and the structure […]
How many poets could cram eBay, Friendster and Monster.com into a 3-minute poem worthy of a standing ovation? Enjoy Rives‘ unique talent. Get TED delivered:Subscribe to the TEDTalks video podcast via RSS >>Subscribe to the iTunes video podcastSubscribe to the iTunes audio podcastGet updates via Twitter >>Join our Facebook fan page >> Subscribe to the […]
The 2007 TEDPrize winners were announced last night in San Francisco. We’re thrilled to introduce these three iconic individuals: James Nachtwey an award-winning photojournalist, E.O. Wilson a ground-breaking biologist, and Bill Clinton former US president and current humanitarian activist …
Rock star and activist Bono accepts the 2005 TEDPrize with a riveting talk about our moral obligation (and economic incentive) to help lift Africa out of poverty. He unveils his TEDPrize wishes by challenging the TED community to help build a social movement of more than one million American activists for Africa; to tell people […]
Photographer Ed Burtynsky accepts the 2005 TEDPrize, and presents a stunning slideshow of his work, which explores human impact on the natural world in eerily beautiful large-scale landscapes. He also unveils his three wishes: To use his artwork to encourage a worldwide conversation about the planet; to launch a ground-breaking competition that motivates kids to […]
Medical inventor Robert Fischell accepts the 2005 TEDPrize, and unveils his three wishes: To finalize the design on an invention to treat migraine headaches without drugs; to discover new cures for brain disorders; and to create a Brain Trust to rethink our approach to medical liability. (Recorded February 2005 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 27:35) […]
Arctic explorer Ben Saunders recounts his harrowing solo journey to the North Pole, complete with gorgeous images, amusing anecdotes and previously unseen video footage from the Pole. At 26, Saunders became the youngest person ever to ski solo to the North Pole, updating his blog daily during the trek. He’s now planning the next journey, […]
In this passionate talk, legendary spacecraft designer Burt Rutan lambasts the U.S government-funded space program for stagnating (“Houston, we have a problem.”), and calls for space entrepreneurs to pick up where NASA left off. Rutan won the $10M Ansari X-Prize for SpaceShipOne, the first privately funded craft to enter space twice in a 2-week period. […]
Sasa Vucinic, a former editor for Belgrade radio station B92, founded the Prague-based Media Development Loan Fund, which applies venture-capital principles to finance sustainable media companies in nations emerging from repressive regimes. In this quietly persuasive talk, Vucinic explores the power of a free press to reinvigorate struggling democracies, and proposes his vision (since realized) […]
Ashraf Ghani is the former Finance Minister of Afghanistan, and a candidate to succeed Kofi Annan as Secretary General of the United Nations. He’s an expert on the economics of developing nations and post-conflict reconstruction. This passionate presentation includes a 10-minute talk, emphasizing the necessity of both economic investment and design ingenuity to rebuild broken […]
Our warmest congratulations go out to Grameen Bank and its founder Muhammed Yunus, honored today with the Nobel Peace Prize. “Lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty,” wrote Nobel Committee director Ole Danbolt Mjoes, recognizing the importance of micro-finance pioneer Grameen Bank. “Microcredit is […]
Jacqueline Novogratz is the charismatic founder and CEO of Acumen Fund, a non-profit that takes a business-like approach to improving the lives of the poor. In this talk, she applauds the world’s heightened interest in Africa, but argues persuasively for a new approach to foreign aid: “The question isn’t ‘how do we fix this?’ The […]
Iqbal Quadir is co-founder of GrameenPhone, an innovative wireless company offering services to poor rural villages in Bangladesh. In this talk, he explains the triple impact of cell phone service in rural areas (connecting the village to the world, creating business opportunities, and generating over time a culture of entrepreneurship.) He also relates his personal […]