Hans Rosling writes: So it did happen! Just hours ago World Bank president did completely change the World Bank data policy.

This story shows the power of Ideas worth spreading. The story runs in 5 acts:

1. My TED2006 talk yielded Google’s acquisition of software from Gapminder.
2. Tim Berners-Lee add pressure for free data at TED2009
3. In 2010, Google launches Public data explorer with moving bubbles and a few of the free indicators from World Bank
4. On 20 April 2010, president Bob Zoellick of World Bank give up the old habit of selling public data. The change in policy is comprehensive and includes the right for institutions and companies to redistribute the data. In Zoellick’s YouTube video, at 1:46 min, the moving bubbles from my TED2006 talk in their new Google formate forms the background for the spread of ideas from the stage at TED in 2006 to World Bank in 2010.

Archimedes said: Give me a fulcrum, and I shall move the world!
Rosling says: Give me a TED talk and I shall move the world!

Kind regards from a happy Hans.