Astronomer and astrophysicist Andrea Ghez captivated the TEDGlobal 2009 crowd with an up-close look at the style and substance of the peculiar space phenomenon known as a black hole. At UCLA, she’s working on imaging techniques that will bring these mysterious objects into better focus than ever before. Here’s what Twitter had to say: you’ve […]
Actor and author Stephen Fry boldly took to the stage at TEDGlobal (sporting a multi-colored tie in defiance of TED’s no-tie policy) to touch on a pastiche of topics, including philosophy, culture, experience and intellect. The following comments from Twitter embody viewers’ reactions to Fry’s talk: Stephen Fry on stage with a tie – which […]
In a focused and nuanced talk, Stefan Sagmeister talked today at TED Global about his unique way of keeping a fresh perspective in his work and in his life. He also shared some of his innovative designs. Here was the feedback from Twitter: Stefan Sagmeister: closes is studio every 8th year, essentially taking 5 of […]
TEDGlobal 2009 is under way! Writer Alain de Botton (you can follow him on Twitter) kickstarted the conference with an insightful talk on why people are snobs and how we define our own success. Here were the reactions from TEDsters watching the live feed. A snob: “Someone who uses a small part of you to […]
Before her TEDTalk went up on Friday, anthropologist and skin expert Nina Jablonski took some time out of writing her new book to talk to the the TEDBlog. Nina had a lot to say about how our skin affects how we are perceived, sometimes in ways we want it to and sometimes in much more […]
It’s lunch break in Oxford after a morning of speaker rehearsals. While Jonathan Zittrain (above), Stefan Sagmeister, Beau Lotto and other TED speakers were testing slides and lighting, the crew of the Oxford Playhouse has been running around tweaking the stage set behind them. A snapshot below — and see more shots from TED setup […]
This week’s theme for comments all over the Internet is experience. There are personal accounts from those who’ve witnessed Olafur Eliasson’s work (presented in his talk on playing with space and light) and recollections of good times at TED@Palm Springs (now upgraded to TEDActive!) or testimonials from volunteers of our Open Translation Project. On Olafur […]
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch. Above, watch President John F. Kennedy’s speech about the necessity of space exploration, given at Rice University in 1962 (and clocking in at a TED-friendly 18 minutes). He says: “There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards […]
Genomicist Craig Venter and his company Synthetic Genomics Incorporated (SGI) have entered into a $600m strategic alliance with Exxon Mobil to develop a next-generation biofuel from photosynthetic algae. Algae absorb carbon dioxide and sunlight in aqueous environments, producing an oil of similar molecular structure to contemporary petroleum products. Algal fuel can be refined, transported and […]
The recent collaboration of IDEO with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, IDE, Heifer International and ICRW has inspired a new application of Human-Centered Design (HCD) — a system used by multi-national corporations to develop design solutions at the intersection of desirability, feasibility and viability. IDEO’s new open-source toolkit is a methodical approach for NGOs […]
This week featured strong talks and we’ve found some equally strong comments to go with them. From touching reactions on Sophal Ear’s escape with his family from the Khmer Rouge to amazement at Kary Mullis’ strikingly deft cure for killer infections and appreciation for Eames Demetrios’ sentimental portrait of his legendary designer grandparents. Here they […]
In yesterday’s TEDTalk, development economist and political scientist Sophal Ear shared the deeply personal story of his family’s escape from the Khmer Rouge. In today’s interview with the TED Blog, he continues that story and gives us details on his current path in international aid policy. Your mother cleverly pretended to be Vietnamese to escape […]
T.G.I.M.B.O.E.J. stands for The Great Internet Migratory Box Of Electronic Junk, and it’s celebrating its first anniversary this week. Do think of it as partly a social experiment, but more so a free-range parcel service-based electronics grab bag that circulates among hardware hackers who are eager to discover useful, cool, old, or even rare treasures […]
Via Boing Boing via The First Post, we learn that Richard Dawkins‘ foundation is funding a summer camp to teach children reason, skepticism and science. From the article: Alongside the more traditional activities of tug-of-war, swimming and canoeing, children at the five-day camp in Somerset will learn about rational scepticism, moral philosophy, ethics and evolution. […]
TED2009 speaker Nandan Nilekani has stepped down from the company he co-founded, Infosys, to take a cabinet-level role in the Indian government. It’s a rare step in Indian politics — in fact, the Times of India calls Nilekani’s move “the biggest movement from private sector to government in India in recallable memory.” Nilekani will head […]
Via Discover magazine via Akiyoshi Kitaoka: Incredibly, the blue and the green spirals are the same color. From the article: The orange stripes go through the “green” spiral but not the “blue” one. So without us even knowing it, our brains compare that spiral to the orange stripes, forcing it to think the spiral is […]