Today is quite an exciting day. Not only is TEDxKrakówLive just a day away (July 13th to be exact), but the actual TEDGlobal conference begins today, and we’ll have live updates from the event right here. But before that, it’s time to finish our series of speaker profiles with the final installment, Bodies (see part 1, part 2, and part 3 if you missed them).
The session exploring the stuff of bodies begins with a study of the relationship between mind and body courtesy of Daniel Wolpert. In his lab at the University of Cambridge, Dr Wolpert studies how exactly our brains can manage to handle all of the intricate movements our bodies make every day from birth. A neuroscientist and engineer, he’ll tell you why understanding movement is crucial to developing a deeper understanding of just how your brain works.
Providing more food for thought is biologist Sheril Kirshenbaum. If you think a talk about biology will bore you, consider that Dr Kirshenbaum’s latest book covers a biological activity most of us are quite fond of: kissing. In The Science of Kissing, she dissects the act in extensive (and quite interesting) detail. Need more convincing? As a regular contributor to popular publications not just on science, one of her main passions is fighting for scientific literacy amongst the general public, meaning she’s excellent at communicating complex scientific ideas to the layman.
Next up is something for the robophiles: roboticist and engineer Péter Fankhauser. We’re not talking about terminators or cylons, though – Fankhauser’s creation is far more benign. His team is working on a machine named Rezero, a „Ballbot” or machine that can move using just one large sphere. Considering its potential use and elegance of movement, Rezero is one robot overlord we might just welcome – and Fankhauser will tell us why.
Robots are always a tough act to follow, but luckily the session’s next speaker just happens to be a magician. Techno-illusionist Marco Tempest uses technology to bring his particular brand of magic to life. But what fun will it be if we give away his secrets? Instead, check out his videos on YouTube to see what all the fuss is about. Abracadabra!
Returning to the subject of human bodies, artist Jae Rhim Lee has developed a way to control what happens to one after death through her Infinity Burial Project. Using a new strain of fungus, her project is a way for „Decompinauts” to return to nature after death in a very literal way – by becoming compost. Too crazy to believe? See it for yourself during her TEDGlobal talk.
Finally, we have singer Alice Russell, whose distinctive voice can be heard on her latest release, Pot of Gold. Her soulful, deep south (via the UK) singing style is likely to stick with you long after the session is over. Click here for a preview!
The Bodies session begins at 6 pm, and you’ll have a chance to catch all of the speakers we’ve written about at the live stream at Gazeta Cafe, Bracka 14 this Wednesday!