Science, Technology

In two mind-blowing hours, Hawking reveals the wonders of the cosmos to a new generation. Delve into the mind of the world's most famous living scientist and reveal the splendor and majesty of the universe as never seen before. See how the universe began, how it creates stars, black holes and life - and how everything will end.

Hailed as the "Queen of Carbon Science," Mildred Dresselhaus has been named the National Science Board's 2009 Vannevar Bush Awardee. Throughout her enduring career as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she has pushed the boundaries of scientific knowledge, expanding the field of carbon science into previously unknown realms. In this video from the National Science Foundation, Dresselhaus shares her efforts to increase opportunities for women in science, and discusses her research that has been at the forefront of numerous discoveries.

Our nation's electric grid must transform into an integrated digital system to meet expanding 21st century power demands. PNNL is a leading contributor in the nation's billion-dollar push to develop "smart grids" and the technologies that will radically transform grid operation, increase energy efficiency, incorporate renewable energy, support electrification of the transportation sector and produce a smaller carbon footprint.

Nuclear power: the energy crisis has even die-hard environmentalists reconsidering it. In this first-ever TED debate, Stewart Brand and Mark Z. Jacobson square off over the pros and cons. A discussion that'll make you think -- and might even change your mind.

Quants are the math wizards and computer programmers in the engine room of our global financial system who designed the financial products that almost crashed Wall st. The credit crunch has shown how the global financial system has become increasingly dependent on mathematical models trying to quantify human (economic) behaviour. Now the quants are at the heart of yet another technological revolution in finance: trading at the speed of light.

An exclusive full-length movie of Captain Cousteau expedition to Antarctica.

In 2004, the Red Sea was welcoming the Cousteau divers, 50 years after the revolutionary images taken by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Louis Malle in the "Silent World."

The band "OK Go" dreamed up the idea of a massive Rube Goldberg machine for their next music video -- and Adam Sadowsky was charged with building it. He tells the story of the effort and engineering behind the labyrinthine creation that quickly became a YouTube sensation.

From: TEDtalksDirector

In tough economic times, our exploratory science programs -- from space probes to the LHC -- are first to suffer budget cuts. Brian Cox explains how curiosity-driven science pays for itself, powering innovation and a profound appreciation of our existence.

From: TEDtalksDirector

The founder of 4chan, a controversial, uncensored online imageboard, describes its subculture, some of the Internet "memes" it has launched, and the incident in which its users managed a very public, precision hack of a mainstream media website. The talk raises questions about the power -- and price -- of anonymity.

From: TEDtalksDirector