Minutes ago, religious scholar Karen Armstrong, winner of a 2008 TED Prize, spoke about her wish, The Charter for Compassion, to the audience at TEDGlobal 2009. The Charter aims to bring the golden rule back into a global focus. Currently, religious leaders of many faiths are working together in crafting this document for peace, which […]
Geopolitical expert Parag Khanna examined the historic and present-day implications of nation-state borders. Borders may be popping up on the atlas year after year, however, in practical human interactions, borders seem to be vanishing. A critical component to guiding this trend in a benevolent direction is building infrastructure. Followers on Twitter were receptive to Khanna’s […]
Balloonist Bertrand Piccard flew around the world in 1999. He stated today in his talk that the next time he goes he will make sure he completes the journey without consuming any fossil fuels. This determination is the reason he promotes Solar Impulse, which intends to design a one-seat, long-range solar plane. And here’s the […]
“Wires suck” was how electrician and innovator Eric Giler validated the motivation behind his startup WiTricity, which he demonstrated today in his talk at TEDGlobal 2009. Naturally, the main response was from people very eager to give it a try: Eric Giler on the fantastic prospect of wirelessly charging our devices! (Would come in handy […]
Theoretical physicist Steve Cowley acknowledged today that while fusion is really hard to do it’s also the planet’s best shot of having a clean and safe renewable energy source. Twitter seemed to be shaken by this desirable concept: Okay that woke me up (Steve Cowley) — RichMulholland Steve Cowley’s fusion talk is making me as […]
Nick Veasey creates art with x-rays to expose the hidden interiors of everyday objects, including clothing, dolls, computers, leaves, and even… cadavers! Veasey reveals the surprising beauty and intricate structure of the mundane. His newest project: sawing a MINI Cooper in half and pasting inside a compilation of x-ray images of all of the parts! […]
Industrial designer Ross Lovegrove delved into his design philosophy of organic essentialism. Lovegrove strips down his designs to their essence to create, he jokes, “good, sensible Welsh stuff”, alluding to his Welsh upbringing that emphasized economy and efficiency. Lovegrove extricates himself from the fear of failure and seeks out the impossible in his designs. The […]
The Radio Science Orchestra united with Lydia Kavina, great-niece of Leon Theremin who invented the eponymous electronic instrument in 1920, to deliver a stellar performance at the start of Session 9: Revealing Energy. Kavina and the RSO played several futuristic selections, albeit without actually touching a physical instrument, but rather by interacting with the theremin’s […]
Hip-hop artist Emmanuel Jal started his talk today on a poignant note by recounting his life as a war child in Sudan. Jal’s outlet for his inspirational life and desire for peace has been channeled into his music (he performed after talking). Everyone tweeting on the #TED hashtag seemed genuinely touched: moving and very authentic […]
Today at TEDGlobal 2009, macroeconomist Loretta Napoleoni explained her fascination with the underworld of crime and terrorism in a large, global context. On Twitter, people had a lot to say (and ask) about this dark subject. … Heavy… ‘The international budget of terror is 1.5 trillion dollars’ #TED – Bloody ‘eck! Is it money well […]
Journalist Misha Glenny expounded upon the ideas presented in his book McMafia, on how organized crime has run rampant in Western society. TEDsters reporting via Twitter were abuzz with this talk, especially Glenny’s stat that states organized crime accounts for “15% of the world’s GDP.” Apparently it is the western world that fuels global organised […]
Photographer Taryn Simon goes to places few people ever get to see. She’s photographed everything from a white tiger breeding facility to abortion clinics. Her shocking talk astounded the crowd on Twitter: Taryn Simon’s talk is dense with details on the background of her photos. The context is the story. Eclectic. — bwdumars Incestuous white […]
William Kamkwamba spoke at TEDGlobal 2007, as a shy young man who’d built his family a windmill from scrap. His story captured the world’s attention. Today he walked onstage with confidence to tell his story from that point to this. @herbkim Google ‘William Kamkwamba’ – sat next to him at dinner last night having no […]
A thread runs through this session, captured best here: @Thandelike When inventors “get mad” about the world’s disasters they get to work. Love that. Economist Paul Romer unveils a plan for Charter Cities — brand-new places where the economic rules are reset. It could create opportunity for people now trapped in badly managed regimes (the […]
Octogenarian scientist Elaine Morgan became the oldest speaker in TED’s history (at the sprightly age of 90) at TEDGlobal 2009 when she presented her addition to evolutionary science: the theory of aquatic apes. Here’s how the excited crowd on Twitter responded to her vibrant talk: Elaine Morgan talking pure sense at #TED about paradigm shift […]
Marcus du Sautoy used his math and science skills to open Session 6 with a thorough talk about symmetry. Reactions to this talk on Twitter seemed to range from amusing to challenging, but to be fair, Marcus du Sautoy did challenge the audience first. You know you’re at #TED when mathematicians get cheers on stage. […]