Articles from Best of the Best (trending on the web)

The refugee crisis is a test of our character | David Miliband

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Sixty-five million people were displaced from their homes by conflict and disaster in 2016. That's 24 people every minute. It's not just a crisis; it's a test of who we are and what we stand for, says David Miliband -- and each of us has a personal responsibility to help solve it. In this must-watch talk, Miliband gives us specific, tangible ways to help refugees and turn empathy and altruism into action.

Why we need to imagine different futures | Anab Jain

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Anab Jain brings the future to life, creating experiences where people can touch, see and feel the potential of the world we're creating. Do we want a world where intelligent machines patrol our streets, for instance, or where our genetic heritage determines our health care? Jain's projects show why it's important to fight for the world we want. Catch a glimpse of possible futures in this eye-opening talk.

Doesn't everyone deserve a chance at a good life? | Jim Yong Kim

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Aspirations are rising as never before across the world, thanks in large part to smartphones and the internet -- will they be met with opportunity or frustration? As President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim wants to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity for all. He shares how the World Bank is working to improve the health and financial futures of people in the poorest countries by boosting investment and de-risking development.

Science didn't understand my kids' rare disease until I decided to study it | Sharon Terry

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Meet Sharon Terry, a former college chaplain and stay-at-home mom who took the medical research world by storm when her two young children were diagnosed with a rare disease known as pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). In this knockout talk, Terry explains how she and her husband became citizen scientists, working midnight shifts at the lab to find the gene behind PXE and establishing mandates that require researchers to share biological samples and work together.

How I built a jet suit | Richard Browning

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We've all dreamed of flying -- but for Richard Browning, flight is an obsession. He's built an Iron Man-like suit that leans on an elegant collaboration of mind, body and technology, bringing science fiction dreams a little closer to reality. Learn more about the trial and error process behind his invention and take flight with Browning in an unforgettable demo.

Why you should define your fears instead of your goals | Tim Ferriss

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The hard choices -- what we most fear doing, asking, saying -- are very often exactly what we need to do most. How can we overcome self-paralysis and take action? Tim Ferriss encourages us to fully envision and write down our fears in detail, in a simple but powerful exercise he calls "fear-setting." Learn more about how this practice can help you thrive in high-stress environments and separate what you can control from what you cannot.

12 truths I learned from life and writing | Anne Lamott

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A few days before she turned 61, writer Anne Lamott decided to write down everything she knew for sure. She dives into the nuances of being a human who lives in a confusing, beautiful, emotional world and offers her characteristic life-affirming wisdom and humor on family, writing, the meaning of God, death and more.

What happens in your brain when you pay attention? | Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar

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Attention isn't just about what we focus on -- it's also about what our brains filter out. By investigating patterns in the brain as people try to focus, computational neuroscientist Mehdi Ordikhani-Seyedlar hopes to build computer models that can be used to treat ADHD and help those who have lost the ability to communicate. Hear more about this exciting science in this brief, fascinating talk.

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