Have you ever met TED? Bet you a million bucks he’s the most interesting person you’ll ever meet.
Just to name a few, he’s well versed in the impact of traffic signs, social psychology, storytelling, science, philosophy, health care, creatures of the deep sea, the benefits of gaming and advances in prosthetics.
Haven’t met TED? Well, it’s actually a non-profit, started in 1984. With the mission of discovering Ideas Worth Spreading, as their tagline states, it began as a conference for forward thinkers in the areas of technology, entertainment and design. Today, on top of adding a mountain of topics and a few more conferences, the TED talks are available free on TED.com.
The great thing for time-starved yet curious people, is the longest TED talk is 18 minutes. So it’s easy to learn about environmental issues from former Vice President Al Gore. Or hear celebrity chef Jamie Oliver share stories from his anti-childhood obesity project. Or discover Bill Gates’ ideas on philanthropy.
There are also tons of fascinating lectures by people you’ve probably never heard of. Author and brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor shares her experience having a stroke. Adora Sitvak, 12, examines “childish” thinking. Or watch William Kamkwamba, 22, from Malawi, talk about his invention to power his family’s home.
If you’re looking to learn something new, to get a different perspective, or to be inspired, there’s one person you need to meet: TED.
—Alina Larson
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Fat Chance: Losing the Weight, Gaining My Worth by Julie Hadden, star of NBC’s The Biggest Loser will help inspire you to a healthier lifestyle with recipes, workout tips and sample workouts from Jillian Michaels and Margie Marshall.
