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Inspiration

Steven Pinker on Measuring Human Happiness

Debbie Millman talks to experimental psychologist and author Steven Pinker about measuring human happiness […]

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Design Innovation

Watch Sunni Brown’s “Doodlers, unite!” talk at TED

Studies show that sketching and doodling improve our comprehension — and our creative thinking. So why do we still feel embarrassed when we’re caught doodling in a meeting? Sunni Brown says: Doodlers, unite! She makes the case for unlocking your brain via pad and pen […]

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Design Innovation Software

Watch Aaron Koblin’s “Crowds and Clouds: Data, Sheep, and Collaboration” talk at MIT’s Office of the Arts

Where others see just data points and fodder for bar graphs, Aaron Koblin visualizes dynamic systems where information assumes forms both abstract and familiar. In this talk, Koblin shares recent projects that meld statistical science and art to convey a really big picture, while often inviting the viewer to partake in a more personal experience […]

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China Economics Innovation Trend Watching

Living in China: Shanghai takes steps to curb talent drain, price hikes

Shanghai will carry out new policies to create a better work and living environment to retain non-local professionals, including expats, and to stabilize the growth of consumer prices, the Shanghai’s Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng told a meeting in town recently […]

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Design Innovation

Watch Joshua Walters’ “On being just crazy enough” talk at TED

At TEDs Full Spectrum Auditions, comedian Joshua Walters, whos bipolar, walks the line between mental illness and mental “skillness.” In this funny, thought-provoking talk, he asks: Whats the right balance between medicating craziness away and riding the manic edge of creativity and drive?

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Design Economics Innovation Inspiration

Watch Steven Johnson’s “Where good ideas come from” talk at TED

People often credit their ideas to individual “Eureka!” moments. But Steven Johnson shows how history tells a different story. His fascinating tour takes us from the “liquid networks” of London’s coffee houses to Charles Darwin’s long, slow hunch to today’s high-velocity web […]

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Design Innovation

Watch Charles Limb’s “Your brain on improv” talk on TED

Musician and researcher Charles Limb wondered how the brain works during musical improvisation — so he put jazz musicians and rappers in an fMRI to find out. What he and his team found has deep implications for our understanding of creativity of all kinds […]

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Innovation Trend Watching

Watch Oliver Sacks’ “What hallucination reveals about our minds” talk at TED

Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks brings our attention to Charles Bonnet syndrome — when visually impaired people experience lucid hallucinations. He describes the experiences of his patients in heartwarming detail and walks us through the biology of this under-reported phenomenon […]

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Design Innovation Readings Software

Watch Tan Le’s “A headset that reads your brainwaves” demo at TED

Tan Le’s astonishing new computer interface reads its user’s brainwaves, making it possible to control virtual objects, and even physical electronics, with mere thoughts (and a little concentration). She demos the headset, and talks about its far-reaching applications […]

Categories
Design

Watch Beau Lotto’s “Optical illusions show how we see” talk at TED

Beau Lotto’s color games puzzle your vision, but they also spotlight what you can’t normally see: how your brain works. This fun, first-hand look at your own versatile sense of sight reveals how evolution tints your perception of what’s really out there […]