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  • Talks 581
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1 - 30 of 1931 results

Playlist: The dark side of data (14 talks)

Data can be used for good, harnessed for the betterment of society, but it can also be abused. Find out about some hidden not-so-sunny uses of Big Data.
Curated by TED · 14 talks
http://www.ted.com/playlists/the_dark_side_of_data

Asaf Bar-Yosef: An athlete uses physics to shatter world records

When Dick Fosbury couldn't compete against the skilled high jumpers at his college, he tried jumping in a different way -- backwards. Fosbury improved his record immediately and continued to amaze the world with his new technique all the way to Olympic gold. Asaf Bar-Yosef explains the physics behind the success of the now dominant Fosbury Flop....
https://www.ted.com/talks/asaf_bar_yosef_an_athlete_uses_physics_to_shatter_world_records

Evan Williams: The voices of Twitter users

In the year leading up to this talk, the web tool Twitter exploded in size (up 10x during 2008 alone). Co-founder Evan Williams reveals that many of the ideas driving that growth came from unexpected uses invented by the users themselves.
https://www.ted.com/talks/evan_williams_the_voices_of_twitter_users

Andreas Schleicher: Use data to build better schools

How can we measure what makes a school system work? Andreas Schleicher walks us through the PISA test, a global measurement that ranks countries against one another -- then uses that same data to help schools improve. Watch to find out where your country stacks up, and learn the single factor that makes some systems outperform others.
https://www.ted.com/talks/andreas_schleicher_use_data_to_build_better_schools

Tom Wujec: Learn to use the 13th-century astrolabe

Rather than demo another new technology, Tom Wujec reaches back to one of our earliest but most ingenious devices -- the astrolabe. With thousands of uses, from telling time to mapping the night sky, this old tech reminds us that the ancient can be as brilliant as the brand-new.
https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_learn_to_use_the_13th_century_astrolabe

JR: My wish: Use art to turn the world inside out

French street artist JR uses his camera to show the world its true face, by pasting photos of the human face across massive canvases. At TED2011, he makes his audacious TED Prize wish: to use art to turn the world inside out.
https://www.ted.com/talks/jr_my_wish_use_art_to_turn_the_world_inside_out

Federica Bianco: How we use astrophysics to study earthbound problems

To study a system as complex as the entire universe, astrophysicists need to be experts at extracting simple solutions from large data sets. What else could they do with this expertise? In an interdisciplinary talk, TED Fellow and astrophysicist Federica Bianco explains how she uses astrophysical data analysis to solve urban and social problems ...
https://www.ted.com/talks/federica_bianco_how_we_use_astrophysics_to_study_earthbound_problems

Katie Francfort: What if we used the problem as part of the solution?

Logistics expert Katie Francfort invites us to dream of finding solutions in unexpected places. In this thought experiment, she imagines: What if mosquitoes could have a role to play in the supply chain of vaccine delivery? She uses this far-fetched idea to inspire us to think boldly on other problems we're facing -- and how the problem might be...
https://www.ted.com/talks/katie_francfort_what_if_we_used_the_problem_as_part_of_the_solution

Alejandro Durán: How I use art to tackle plastic pollution in our oceans

Alejandro Durán uses art to spotlight the ongoing destruction of our oceans' ecosystems. In this breathtaking talk, he shows how he meticulously organizes and reuses plastic waste from around the world that washes up on the Caribbean coast of Mexico -- everything from water bottles to prosthetic legs -- to create vivid, environmental artworks th...
https://www.ted.com/talks/alejandro_duran_how_i_use_art_to_tackle_plastic_pollution_in_our_oceans

Carl Joshua Ncube: Tales of a Zimbabwean comedian

In this quick, witty performance, TED Fellow and comedian Carl Joshua Ncube uses humor to point out some culturally taboo topics from his home country of Zimbabwe.
https://www.ted.com/talks/carl_joshua_ncube_tales_of_a_zimbabwean_comedian

Anees Bahji: Is marijuana bad for your brain?

In 1970, marijuana was classified as a schedule 1 drug in the United States: the strictest designation possible, meaning it was completely illegal and had no recognized medical uses. Today, marijuana's therapeutic benefits are widely acknowledged, but a growing recognition for its medical value doesn't answer the question: is recreational mariju...
https://www.ted.com/talks/anees_bahji_is_marijuana_bad_for_your_brain

Bobby McFerrin: Watch me play ... the audience!

In this fun, 3-min performance from the World Science Festival, musician Bobby McFerrin uses the pentatonic scale to reveal one surprising result of the way our brains are wired.
https://www.ted.com/talks/bobby_mcferrin_watch_me_play_the_audience

Virginia Postrel: On glamour

In a timely talk, cultural critic Virginia Postrel muses on the true meaning, and the powerful uses, of glamour -- which she defines as any calculated, carefully polished image designed to impress and persuade.
https://www.ted.com/talks/virginia_postrel_on_glamour

Dan Ariely: Are we in control of our own decisions?

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely, the author of Predictably Irrational, uses classic visual illusions and his own counterintuitive (and sometimes shocking) research findings to show how we're not as rational as we think when we make decisions.
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_are_we_in_control_of_our_own_decisions

James Nachtwey: My wish: Let my photographs bear witness

Accepting his 2007 TED Prize, war photographer James Nachtwey shows his life's work and asks TED to help him continue telling the story with innovative, exciting uses of news photography in the digital era.
https://www.ted.com/talks/james_nachtwey_my_wish_let_my_photographs_bear_witness

Hans Rosling: New insights on poverty

Researcher Hans Rosling uses his cool data tools to show how countries are pulling themselves out of poverty. He demos Dollar Street, comparing households of varying income levels worldwide. Then he does something really amazing.
https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_new_insights_on_poverty

Rory Sutherland: Sweat the small stuff

It may seem that big problems require big solutions, but ad man Rory Sutherland says many flashy, expensive fixes are just obscuring better, simpler answers. To illustrate, he uses behavioral economics and hilarious examples.
https://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_sweat_the_small_stuff

Kasha Patel: The benefits of using comedy to explain science

In this joke-laden talk, Kasha Patel uses the standup comedy format to make a case for combining science communication with humor in order to make the former more accessible and the latter more educational.
https://www.ted.com/talks/kasha_patel_the_benefits_of_using_comedy_to_explain_science

Natalie Warne: Being young and making an impact

At 18, Natalie Warne's work with the Invisible Children movement made her a hero for young activists. She uses her inspiring story to remind us that no one is too young to change the world.
https://www.ted.com/talks/natalie_warne_being_young_and_making_an_impact

Uldus Bakhtiozina: Wry photos that turn stereotypes upside down

Artist Uldus Bakhtiozina uses photographs to poke fun at societal norms in her native Russia. A glimpse into Russian youth culture and a short, fun reminder not to take ourselves too seriously.
https://www.ted.com/talks/uldus_bakhtiozina_wry_photos_that_turn_stereotypes_upside_down

Sarah Parcak crowdsources archaeology

I wish for us to discover the millions of unknown archaeological sites across the globe. By building an online citizen science platform and training a 21st century army of global explorers, we'll find and protect the world's hidden heritage, which contains clues to humankind's collective resilience and creativity. The plan What would happen if I...
https://www.ted.com/participate/ted-prize/prize-winning-wishes/globalxplorer

Erik Johansson: Impossible photography

Erik Johansson creates realistic photos of impossible scenes -- capturing ideas, not moments. In this witty how-to, the Photoshop wizard describes the principles he uses to make these fantastical scenarios come to life, while keeping them visually plausible.
https://www.ted.com/talks/erik_johansson_impossible_photography

MaJiKer: Who says you can't play the piano with your foot?

Producer, songwriter, beatboxer and vocal arranger MaJiKer uses his whole body to express himself musically. Here, he premieres an experimental new piece that combines piano (occasionally played with his foot and head) with beatboxing, to wild effect.
https://www.ted.com/talks/majiker_who_says_you_can_t_play_the_piano_with_your_foot

Hans Rosling: Let my dataset change your mindset

Talking at the US State Department this summer, Hans Rosling uses his fascinating data-bubble software to burst myths about the developing world. Look for new analysis on China and the post-bailout world, mixed with classic data shows.
https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_let_my_dataset_change_your_mindset

Richard St. John: Success is a continuous journey

In his typically candid style, Richard St. John reminds us that success is not a one-way street, but a constant journey. He uses the story of his business' rise and fall to illustrate a valuable lesson -- when we stop trying, we fail.
https://www.ted.com/talks/richard_st_john_success_is_a_continuous_journey

Fiorenzo Omenetto: Silk, the ancient material of the future

Fiorenzo Omenetto shares 20+ astonishing new uses for silk, one of nature's most elegant materials -- in transmitting light, improving sustainability, adding strength and making medical leaps and bounds. On stage, he shows a few intriguing items made of the versatile stuff.
https://www.ted.com/talks/fiorenzo_omenetto_silk_the_ancient_material_of_the_future

Golan Levin: Art that looks back at you

Golan Levin, an artist and engineer, uses modern tools -- robotics, new software, cognitive research -- to make artworks that surprise and delight. Watch as sounds become shapes, bodies create paintings, and a curious eye looks back at the curious viewer.
https://www.ted.com/talks/golan_levin_art_that_looks_back_at_you

Frans Lanting: Photos that give voice to the animal kingdom

Nature photographer Frans Lanting uses vibrant images to take us deep into the animal world. In this short, visual talk he calls for us to reconnect with other earthly creatures, and to shed the metaphorical skins that separate us from each other.
https://www.ted.com/talks/frans_lanting_photos_that_give_voice_to_the_animal_kingdom

Robert Wright: The evolution of compassion

Robert Wright uses evolutionary biology and game theory to explain why we appreciate the Golden Rule ("Do unto others..."), why we sometimes ignore it and why there’s hope that, in the near future, we might all have the compassion to follow it.
https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_wright_the_evolution_of_compassion

Kate Hartman: The art of wearable communication

Artist Kate Hartman uses wearable electronics to explore how we communicate, with ourselves and with the world. In this quirky and thought-provoking talk, she shows the "Talk to Yourself Hat", the "Inflatable Heart", the "Glacier Embracing Suit", and other unexpected devices.
https://www.ted.com/talks/kate_hartman_the_art_of_wearable_communication
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