GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
tags: TEDTalks, environment, cities, poverty, crime, underground economy, Stewart Brand, streaming video
The man who helped usher in the environmental movement in the 1960s and '70s has been rethinking his positions on cities, nuclear power, genetic modification and geo-engineering. This talk at the US State Department is a foretaste of his major new book, sure to provoke widespread debate. You've GOT to watch the video of the train going through the poor part of town in Bankok -- it's amazing! [16:42]
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts.
Environment
Education
Comments
I was fortunate enough to meet Stuart, Jill and Paul Stamets at SciFoo 08 along with a number of other TED talkers and continue to speak with some of them regularly. It's still strange & humbling to me that I "know" these people.
Posted by: Jim H | July 15, 2009 10:02 AM
Thanks for this. I'm looking forward to the drama when that book comes out :)
Posted by: Mary | July 15, 2009 9:45 PM
Years ago I read EF Shumacher's Small Is Beautiful and it didn't strike me as realistic.
I don't agree that wind and solar energy is un-storable, however. In most Southern states, an installation that did nothing but chill water would pay for itself in no time at an industrial park or college campus.
Posted by: george.w | July 19, 2009 5:52 PM