TEDx

How to make a neural network in your bedroom: Brittany Wenger

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:39:48 -0400

At TEDxCERN, Brittany Wenger, a Google Science Fair Grand Prize Winner at just 18, explains her plan to build a neural network from data collected from breast biopsies taken at the University of Wisconsin. The network analyses patterns that are too complex to be recognized by humans in order to determine if a given sample is malignant or benign — technology that could be applied to other cancers and might eventually be used in hospitals to save lives. (Filmed at TEDxCERN)

Each week, we choose four of our favorite talks, highlighting just a few of the enlightening speakers from the TEDx community, and its diverse constellation of ideas worth spreading. Browse all TEDxTalks here »

tedxubud: All in the TEDxUbud details. More of the beautiful...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:47:09 -0400

tedxubud:

All in the TEDxUbud details. More of the beautiful things we’re creating for you!

Above: TEDxUbud shows off some of their homemade event materials on their Tumblr.

Before I die I want to … live — snapshots from...

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:47:30 -0400

Before I die I want to … live — snapshots from TEDxBerkeley

Above, several instagrammed moments from TEDxBerkeley 2013, UC Berkeley’s fourth TEDx event.

(Top photo from Instagram user _janiekins_; bottom from elishaseye)

"In the middle of my PhD, I reached a point where I was completely and hopelessly stuck. Every avenue..."

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:11:00 -0400

“

In the middle of my PhD, I reached a point where I was completely and hopelessly stuck. Every avenue of research that I tried led to a dead end. It seemed like my basic assumptions just stopped working. I felt like a pilot flying through the mist and I lost all sense of direction.

…I stopped shaving; I found it very difficult to get up in the morning. I decided and I felt that I was unworthy of stepping into the gates of the university because I was not like Einstein or Newton or, in fact, any other scientist whose results I had learned about, because no one ever told me that scientists get stuck.

So I couldn’t be a scientist.

…And I noticed — maybe there’s a pattern here. I asked the other graduate students and they said, “Yeah! That’s exactly what happened to us — expect nobody told us. We studied science for thousands of hours, but not one hour of the actual doing of science: how to go into the unknown, what happens when you do research. We were taught that science is a series of logical steps, but it’s nothing like that when you actually do research.”

”

- From biologist Uri Alon’s TEDxLausanne talk: “We have to change the culture of science to do better research.”

Uri takes lessons he learned while doing improvisational acting — a hobby that promised him failure from day one, he says — to make accepting roadblocks and uncertainty in scientific research easier to handle for himself, his students and his labmates.

Watch his entire talk here, and check out one of his hilarious songs about being a scientist on YouTube.

Una playlist de TEDx en español: 5 talks in Spanish

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:00:57 -0400

¡Hola! Happy Monday! To start the week off right, we’re bringing you 5 TEDx Talks in Spanish from speakers from all over the world. From a talk discussing the difficulties of living under the shadow of famous drug lord father to another explaining the realities of being a transgendered woman in Colombia, we have 5 talks that will truly give you a wider view of the world.

TEACHERS: Did you know it’s possible to create a virtual lesson from a TEDx Talk? At TED-Ed you can quickly flip any of these talks. Check out these questions we whipped up for Manfred Meiners’ talk and find out more about how to make your own TED-Ed lessons.

Cosechando el futuro: Gabriel Salazar at TEDxGuatemalaCity
In order to combat potential health and environmental hazards caused by disposable plastic cups, Gabriel Salazar created an alternative: a cup made of 100% organic material. In this talk at TEDxGuatemalaCity, he explains why he said no to plastic.

A fin de combatir los peligros potenciales para la salud y el medio ambiente causados por los vasos de plástico desechables, Gabriel Salazar creó una alternativa: una taza hecha 100% de material orgánico. En esta charla de TEDxGuatemalaCity explica por qué dijo no al plástico.

Pecados de mi padre: Sebastián Marroquín at TEDxDF
Sebastián Marroquín is the son of arguably the world’s most famous drug baron — Pablo Escobar. At TEDxDF, he talks about what it was like growing up with a narcotrafficker as a father.

Sebastián Marroquín es hijo de, posiblemente, el capo de la droga más famoso del mundo: Pablo Escobar. En TEDxDF habla de lo que supuso crecer con un padre narcotraficante.

Inventing the body: Brigitte Baptiste at TEDxTeusaquillo
In this moving talk at TEDxTeusaquillo, Brigitte Baptiste — one of Latin America’s leading biologists — talks about her experiences as a transgendered woman in Colombia, and how she has built the body that truly corresponds with how she feels inside.

En esta charla conmovedora de TEDxTeusaquillo, Brigitte Baptiste —una de las principales biólogas de América latina— habla de sus experiencias como mujer transgénero en Colombia, y de cómo ha construido el cuerpo que corresponde realmente con lo que siente en su interior.

Vendedores de ilusiones: Lisandro Carnielli at TEDxRosario 2012
Can you trust your brain? Perhaps not as much as you’d think. Prepare to have it put to the test in Lisandro Carnielli’s mind-bending talk at TEDxRosario.

¿Puedes confiar en tu cerebro? Tal vez no tanto como podría pensarse. Prepárate para ponerlo a prueba en esta charla alucinante de Lisandro Carnielli en TEDxRosario.

La belleza de la creación individual: Javier Cañada at TEDxValladolid
At TEDxValladolid, product designer Javier Cañada explores the universal aspects of beauty and how to create lasting designs that appeal to people the world over.

En TEDxValladolid, el diseñador de productos Javier Cañada explora los aspectos universales de la belleza y la forma de crear diseños duraderos que sean del agrado de las personas en todo el mundo.

BAM. POW. BOOM. We have to say that TEDxAjman’s speaker...

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:00:51 -0400

BAM. POW. BOOM. We have to say that TEDxAjman’s speaker portraits are pretty super. For more information on the event, which took place in Ajman, United Arab Emirates, check out their website.

Live images from space: Wade Larson

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:03:57 -0400

UrtheCaste, a project which will broadcast live HD images of Earth from the International Space Station, is slated to launch in October. At TEDxWaterloo, Wade Larson demonstrates the technology, which gives ordinary people the opportunity to access live images of nearly anywhere on Earth’s surface. Larson hopes that UrtheCaste will encourage users to not only explore our world but recognize the interconnectedness of our shared planet. (Filmed at TEDxWaterloo)

Photo spotlight: Images from TEDxTaybeh, a TEDx event in...

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:00:55 -0400

Photo spotlight: Images from TEDxTaybeh, a TEDx event in Al-Taybeh, Israel.

Al-Taybeh is one of the cities in Israel’s Little Triangle, defined as “a concentration of Israeli Arab towns and villages … located in the eastern Sharon plain among the Samarian foothills.”

The team at TEDxTaybeh expressed excitement at being of one the first events in the Triangle, saying.

In essence, TEDxTaybeh aims at empowering the peripheral communities in the Arab towns and villages [in the Triangle.] It aspires at creating a space for them to engage and participate in forging new ways of thinking. Above all, TEDxTaybeh is an opportunity to inspire the local community from within.

Above, snapshots from the event, including their very interesting take on TED Fellow Candy Chang’s “Before I die…” project.

(Photo credits: Top: ayah_awadi_gallery on Instagram. Others: TEDxTaybah)

La musica de las ideas: Sergio Feferovich

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:10:50 -0400

At TEDxRiodelaPlata, pianist Sergio Feferovich plays excerpts from some of history’s great composers, and allows the audience to participate in writing an improvised piece of music, which he performs in a clever and fun musical experience. (Filmed at TEDxRiodelaPlata)

Instagrammed: Moments from TEDxUbud in Indonesia, held at...

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:00:47 -0400

Instagrammed: Moments from TEDxUbud in Indonesia, held at beautiful Fivelements in Bali.

For-profit problem solvers: P R Ganapathy

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:30:03 -0400

Social entrepreneurship is about coming up with solutions that not only operate competitively in the free market, but also improve (and — sometimes — save) lives. From neonatal respirators that can operate without electricity, to solar-powered refrigeration units that keep food fresh in the hottest places, P.R. Ganapathy shows us what social entrepreneurs are doing to alleviate poverty in India, and calls for more people to join the cause worldwide. (Filmed at TEDxGolfLinksPark)

Today's the day! Over 130 TEDxLive events are streaming TEDGlobal live

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:00:53 -0400

Follow them online with our handy TEDxLive at TEDGlobal Twitter list, or find an event near you to join last minute on our website.

Now go forth and TEDxLive, TEDx’ers!

Climate change is happening now: Dr. Marshall Shepherd

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:26:40 -0400

It might seem easy to write off global warming as a crisis that isn’t yet affecting us. However, says Dr. Marshall Shepherd, the early effects of warming are already here in everything from the price of Cheerios to extreme weather to the Dow Jones average. In his talk at TEDxAtlanta, Dr. Shepherd goes on to dispel some common myths about our changing climate. (Filmed at TEDxAtlanta)

Icing worth spreading: some highlights from the Best of TEDx...

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:30:15 -0400

Icing worth spreading: some highlights from the Best of TEDx Cupcakes photo collection on the TEDx Facebook page.

Ever wanted to watch a TED Conference live? What about live at...

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:31:00 -0400

Ever wanted to watch a TED Conference live? What about live at your favorite coffee shop? In a park on a giant screen? At a castle?

All over the world, TEDx’ers are organizing amazing events — TEDxLive events — to watch day 3 of TEDGlobal (Wednesday, June 12) live via webcast outside, inside, and in venues of all kinds — from a Canadian castle to a Swiss tech lab.

And you can join them — either in person or by following the action on Twitter.

We’ve made a list of all the TEDxLive events that will be sharing stories from their events live on Twitter this Wednesday, and on our website you can find a list of all TEDxLive events happening around the world — but, as a teaser, here are three TEDxLive events to look out for next Wednesday:

In sunny Zurich, Switzerland, TEDx’ers at TEDxZurichLive will be hosting their second TEDxLive event at the city’s local innovation lab: the HUBZurich. The HUB, built into the arches of a railway viaduct, will provide a stunning space for watching talks and, as team member Karin Friedli says, “the generous hospitality of the team makes everyone feel welcome and at home.”
At TEDxYouth@HumboldtBayLive TEDx’ers are having a pajama party! The organizing team of this TEDxYouth event found a great way to deal with the time difference from TEDGlobal in Scotland and their event in the United States — turn the 2 AM talks session into a party. There will be pillows, sleeping bags, and TED Talks for all!
Call the X-Men, because in Canada, TEDxLive will infiltrate Professor Xavier’s X-Mansion. On Wednesday, TEDxVictoria will be held in Hatley Castle in British Columbia — or as it’s also known as — the X-Mansion in the films X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand.

Many events still have spots open to join in — click here to find an TEDxLive event near you to attend.

(Above: TEDx’ers watch live webcasts of TED & TEDGlobal at TEDxLive events)

4 years of TEDx and the journey forward: The TEDx Workshop at TEDGlobal

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:55:00 -0400

TED Curator Chris Anderson

“What would happen if you wanted a bunch of people to come with you on a journey?”

TED Curator Chris Anderson asked this to a crowd of over 100 TEDx organizers from 43 countries — including Sudan, South Africa, France, China, Egypt and more — during his talk on what makes a good TED Talk at the TEDx Workshop at the Lyceum on Sunday, June 9 at TEDGlobal in Edinburgh.

But this question may as well have well been about the evolution of the TEDx community, which has exploded from 352 events in its first year, to now 7,000 events, held in 179 countries.

TEDx Director Lara Stein

The global brand ambassadors kicked off what will be a week of immersion in the TED ethos, culture and experience with knowledge-sharing talks from both TED staff and TEDx organizers.

Executive Director of TED Media June Cohen

TEDxRainier organizer Phil Klein

Later, TED staff shared their expertise in Deep Dive sessions at the nearby HUB.

TEDx organizers in Deep Dive sessions

In the afternoon and evening, organizers enjoyed a hike to Arthur’s Seat and a private reception at Edinburgh Castle.

TEDx organizers at Arthur’s Seat

TEDx organizers at the top of Arthur’s Seat

TEDx organizers at Edinburgh Castle

So — what has happened in 4 years of the global journey that is now TEDx? Events in Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Antarctica; 750 organizers convening for a global learning workshop in Qatar; Chinese TEDx’ers gathering at the Great Wall of China; 150 TEDxWomen events augmenting the stories of women and girls worldwide; 250 TEDx Talks became TED Talks and spread to the audience of TED.com.

Forming a human “x” at Arthur’s Seat

TEDx Director Lara Stein also announced TEDxSummit 2014 during the workshop — a continuation of the 2012 Doha summit, which will take place in Berlin in June.

TEDx’ers have already expressed their excitement in community groups: “And the countdown for the next TEDxSummit begins. See you guys there!”

Check out all the photos from the TEDx Workshop at TEDGlobal »>

Today in places we wish we were right now: TEDxJakSel’s...

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:00:46 -0400

Today in places we wish we were right now: TEDxJakSel’s coffee break in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Bringing TEDGlobal to the globe: 3 awesome TEDxLive events to look out for next Wednesday

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:53:00 -0400

TEDx’ers take in talks at TEDxSanJoseCA

This year, TEDGlobal — TED’s ultra global-minded twin conference — will be held from June 10-14 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The conference will bring together scholars, scientists, musicians, economists, policy makers, policy changers, theorists, technologists, and artists to talk the global remix shifting the world right now.

And TEDx has a ticket into day 3 of TEDGlobal 2013 —TEDxLive events! These events — TEDx events centered around a live webcast of TEDGlobal in Scotland — will take place on Wednesday, June 12, all across the globe, including events in South Africa, Pakistan, Greece, Romania, Mexico, as well as a host of other locations.

What do you do at a TEDxLive event? Gather with other people who believe that good ideas have the power to change the world, who love new technology, new research, new insights into the ever-evolving world around us; watch a lot of great talks; discuss and debate.

At TEDxLive events all across the globe people will be gathering in schools, cinemas, community centers, and auditoriums to watch TEDGlobal live at TEDxLive events -- and you should be one of them.

You can find a list of all TEDxLive events here — but, as a teaser, here are three TEDxLive events to look out for next Wednesday:

In San Jose, California, TEDx’ers at TEDxSanJoseCA are taking over Santana Row Park in Silicon Valley to watch TEDGlobal outside on a giant screen — drive-in movie style — amongst the palm trees and perhaps even with a picnic or two.
At TEDxDhakaLive in Bangladesh, the organizing team chose a smaller venue than usual to make their TEDGlobal viewing party more cozy, fun, and habitable for discussion. Believing TEDGlobal would encourage local youth and students to become more involved in community projects and be motivated to start movements of their own, organizers allocated 70% of tickets for young attendees.
In Mexico, ideas will percolate when TEDxGuadalajara brings TEDGlobal to a local coffee shop. With their cappuccino and double-caff lattes, local TEDx’ers will be able to watch Session 5 of TEDGlobal — with talks by bees scholar Marla Spivak, science writer Sonia Sah, and neuroscientist Greg Gage. We’ve also heard the appetizers will be excellent.

Many events still have spots open to join in — click here to find an TEDxLive event near you to attend.

Make public policy more fun: Vasiliki (Vass) Bednar

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:39:24 -0400

Is public policy just for policymakers? Absolutely not, says Vass Bednar. In this impassioned talk at TEDxToronto, she explains how to put the public back into public policy, by taking a cue from hacker culture and allowing governmental systems to be open source — with apps, games, and lots of sharing. (Filmed at TEDxToronto)

5 TEDx Talks to make learning a new language easy

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:10:00 -0400

Everybody’s done it. You wake up one morning and decide, “I’m going to learn a new language.” But, as daunting as it may seem, learning a new language isn’t the herculean feat it’s cracked up to be.

Language learning isn’t all about drills, and grammar isn’t actually that boring. Once you get out of the classroom and start using your skills in the real world, it will come a lot easier. The key is to not be afraid of making mistakes or sounding silly.

Below, 5 TEDx talks to help you understand how we learn languages and tips to get you on your way to fluency in whatever you study, whether that’s Arabic or Zulu.

Hacking language learning: Benny Lewis at TEDxWarsaw
At TEDxWarsaw, polyglot extraordinaire Benny Lewis explains that it is never too late to learn a language, learning 9 languages from the age of 21 to prove his point. He propones just going out and speaking the language. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, that’s how you learn.

Hacking language learning: Dr. Conor Quinn at TEDxDirigo
Though it is notoriously hard to keep track of the amount of living languages in the world, it has been estimated that half of the languages spoken today will have died out by the end of the century. At TEDxDirigo, Conor Quinn presents the case that language death can be avoided if it were easier to learn languages and provides you with some tips to help do just that.

Learn Esperanto first: Tim Morley at TEDxGranta
Though it might have no native speakers, learning the international auxiliary language Esperanto is not a worthless pursuit. At TEDxGranta, language teacher Tom Morley explains the benefits of learning this constructed language, citing studies that show that students who learn Esperanto at a young age will pick up other languages more easily.

Tech for the deaf: how to search for words in sign language: Junto Ohki at TEDxTokyo
Ever wonder how to look up a word in sign language? What about in Japanese sign language? At TEDxTokyo, Junto Ohki showcases Slinto, the world’s first sign language keyboard, coupled with the first signing to spoken language dictionary — a new technology that bridges the gap between sign languages and spoken languages around the world.

The linguistic genius of adults: Deborah Fallows at TEDxMidwest
Learning a new language, let alone one as difficult as Mandarin, can be a daunting prospect, but at TEDxMidwest, Deborah Fallows demystifies common misconceptions about second language acquisition, and shares some amusing “Chinglish” signs in the process.