Most economists agree that GDP, the most widely used measure of a country's success and growth, is a poor indicator of the overall wellbeing of a nation. Doug Beal created an alternative index that measures not just wealth but wellbeing. The new gauge takes into account such factors as income equality, sustainability and education. Beal shares i...
Blind river dolphins, reclusive lemurs, a parrot as fearless as it is lovelorn ... Douglas Adams' close encounters with these rare and unusual animals reveal that evolution, ever ingenious, can be fickle too -- in a University of California talk that sparkles with his trademark satiric wit.
What good is a sophisticated piece of medical equipment to people in Africa if it can't handle the climate there? Biomedical engineer Tania Douglas shares stories of how we're often blinded to real needs in our pursuit of technology -- and how a deeper understanding of the context where it's used can lead us to better solutions.
Humans are no longer valued for our creativity, says media theorist Douglas Rushkoff -- in a world dominated by digital technology, we're now just valued for our data. In a passionate talk, Rushkoff urges us to stop using technology to optimize people for the market and start using it to build a future centered on our pre-digital values of conne...
When humanity first landed on the moon in 1969, the typeface Futura was right there with them. In this fascinating history of typography, designer Douglas Thomas shares Futura's role in launching the Apollo 11 spacecraft -- and how it became one of the most used fonts in the world.
The ability to recognize sounds and identify their location is possible thanks to the auditory system. That's comprised of two main parts: the ear, and the brain. The ear's task is to convert sound energy into neural signals; the brain's is to receive and process the information those signals contain. To understand how that works, Douglas L. Oli...
Have you ever suffered from exertional heat stroke? This condition is caused by intense activity in the heat and is one of the top three killers of athletes and soldiers in training. Douglas J. Casa explains heat stroke's tremendous effects on the human body and details an action plan in case it ever happens to someone you know. [Directed by Ver...
In accidental spacefarers, bureaucratic aliens and depressed androids, the inimitable Douglas Adams gave a voice to the many facets of the human condition -- with sidesplitting (and bestselling) results.
In 2017, a truck screeched to a halt. One of its containers slid off, hit a car, and spilled its contents— thousands of kilograms of hagfish. The result of this accident was an absolute mess: the highway was coated in a thick slime that took the fire department 7 hours to clear. How did these creatures create this stupendous supply of slime? Noa...
Mr. Woodring is the Founder and Managing Director of Ocean Recovery Alliance, a non-
profit organization which is focused on bringing together innovative solutions,
technology, collaborations and policy to create positive improvements for the health of
the ocean. Two of its global programs were launched at the Clinton Global Initiative,
and he w...
Considering the perceived exceptionalism of America's education system, media artist, veteran teacher and youth advocate asks "why don't we trust our kids with leadership?" Pulling from evolving experiences with empowering youth, both locally and globally, it becomes clear that truly great things can and do happen when we trust kids to lead.
Optimistic versus Realistic. Change versus Stability. Candour versus Diplomacy. Polarities like these exist all around us. In a world that is increasingly divided, how can we make sense of these differences? Dr. Douglas O'Loughlin teaches us how to see polarities and manage them.
Douglas is passionate in supporting impactful and joyful organis...
For over fifty years, astronomers have pointed their telescopes to the sky, looking for signals from advanced civilizations—a project called SETI, the search for extraterrestrial civilizations. So far, they’ve found nothing. But what if there *are* other civilizations out there, but they’re doing exactly what we are doing—simply listening, and n...
We live in a culture of amnesia. I write songs to help me remember and find my way back home. It's easy to lose yourself along the way. We dance along the razor's edge of pride and self-loathing. Rehearsing your history will help you walk that tight rope between the truth and the lies by inviting the audience in to help you find the balance.
Have you ever said something to someone recently that you immediately regret? Human emotions are out of order all the time and controlling them can be difficult. In a world of data-driven decision-making, can we use emotions to add 'the human element' to decisions? Douglas Nicol talks about how emotional data collected from us through various in...
The standard responses within architectural education and practice to the long-standing slum housing problem in the developing world are challenged in this indictment of the profession regarding its failure to respond in commensurate magnitude, rapidity and commitment to the crisis. The creation of a new model of pedagogy and practice - the Part...
James Douglas, is 18 years old and currently studying his A-levels at Lumen Christi College. James likes physics, chess, and playing visually impaired sports like Goalball. James was born with oculocutaneous albinism, a condition which means he has less melanin, which affects his hair, skin and eyesight. James chose to centre his talk around his...
Artiste sourd profond, son moyen d’expression artistique est la langue des signes. Il sera accompagné, avec une musique composée spécifiquement pour ses poèmes.
Douglas est propriétaire, directeur exécutif et animateur d'ASL SLAM, un événement mensuel de micro ouvert à NYC. Cet espace permet à la communauté Sourde de s'exprimer de manière créati...
Céline Ducloz est une enfant du monde : née en France, elle grandit entre Lyon et Madrid avant de s’envoler pour Buenos Aires en Argentine avec sa famille. Désireuse de connaître les vérités du monde et ses vérités intérieures aussi, Céline Ducloz part seule avec sa valise en Angleterre à l’âge de 17 ans. Mais le périple de Céline ne fait que co...
Depois de um acidente na sua juventude, Dôdi fica tetraplégico, reinventa sua vida e sua masculinidade. Fala sobre os seus sonhos, os seus relacionamentos, sua realização pessoal, profissional e como homem.
Astrobiology and Space Exploration are navigating our Solar System for answers to some of humanity's oldest questions: Are we alone in the Universe? How did life appear on our planet? What will your future be in the Solar System? Using the modern tools of biotechnology and microbiology, we will finally be able have a better understanding of the ...
Ever wonder how someone can seem very successful at achieving any task or goal? Now you can too by learning how to hack into your brain's nerve structure and rewire it to be successful. In this talk, you will see how fact-based positive Psychology research has shown that by training your brain and instituting a daily habit, you have the ability...
Despite living in arguably the best time in history, there is an increasing dissatisfaction in democracy. But why is that? If undemocratic societies become disillusioned because of the suppression of political speech, are democratic ones being worn down in the political echo chambers of social media? Our relationship with democracy needs to be m...
We are born with the natural potential to be our true self. Most of us get bogged down with emotional baggage and self-doubt. When we learn the importance of having our needs met, and how we can help one another, it opens the door to personal freedom, where we discover joy, spontaneity, appreciation of life and the beauty that surrounds us. We p...