Amazing scientific tools made from paper

Clever inventions turn everyday materials into powerful scientific devices. Open in browser

This week on TED.com July 15, 2017

Manu Prakash: Lifesaving scientific tools made of paper 13:58 minutes · Filmed Apr 2017 · Posted Jul 2017 · TED2017 Inventor Manu Prakash turns everyday materials into powerful scientific devices, from paper microscopes to a clever new mosquito tracker. From the TED Fellows stage, he demos Paperfuge, a hand-powered centrifuge inspired by a spinning toy that costs 20 cents to make and can do the work of a $1,000 machine, no electricity required. Watch now »

Playlist of the week Life lessons from writers 5 writers share musings and observations pulled from the pages of their own books, from fellow wordsmiths and from the world around them. Watch » 5 TED Talks • Total run time 1:10:27

More TED Talks Rivers are one of nature's most powerful forces -- they bulldoze mountains and carve up the earth, and their courses are constantly moving. In this visual-packed talk, geoscientist Liz Hajek shows us how rocks deposited by ancient rivers can be used as a time machine to study the history of the earth. Watch » What are our screens and devices actually doing to us? Psychologist Adam Alter studies how much time our screens steal from us (and how they're getting away with it). It turns out, all those hours you spend staring at your smartphone, tablet or computer might be making you miserable. Learn what you can do about it. Watch » You can kick Jorge Ramos out of your press conference (as Donald Trump did in 2015), but you can never silence him. A reporter for more than 30 years, Ramos believes that a journalist's responsibility is to question and challenge those in power. In this compelling talk -- which earned him a standing ovation midway through -- Ramos explains why, in certain circumstances, he believes journalists must take sides. (In Spanish with English subtitles.) Watch » It's a fateful moment in history. We've seen divisive elections, divided societies and the growth of extremism -- all fueled by anxiety and uncertainty. "Is there something we can do, each of us, to be able to face the future without fear?" asks Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. In this electrifying talk, the spiritual leader gives us three specific ways we can move from the politics of "me" to the politics of "all of us, together." Watch »

Read more on ideas.ted.com Psychology: Are you smarter than a pigeon? You might be surprised >> Three questions that show: Sometimes we humans are bird-brained Gallery: What goes into making a museum diorama? Learn the secrets of these magical displays

Quote of the Week “ The rule that I've adopted is: I will never use my phone at the table. It's far away, as far away as possible, because we're really bad at resisting temptation. At first, I struggled. But you overcome the withdrawal the same way you would from a drug. And what happens is, life becomes more colorful, richer, more interesting." Adam Alter Why our screens make us less happy

TED Radio hour: Crisis and response Moments of crisis can upend our lives, but can also help define them. This episode, TED speakers explore how a quick, compassionate or unexpected response can turn crisis into opportunity. Listen to TED Radio Hour »

TED's Summer reading list Need to find your next read? 101 book suggestions from TED speakers.

 

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