In this TED Talk, science writer and founder of AskNature Janine Benyus explains Biomimicry—the process of looking to nature for sustainable solutions to design problems. As she says, “We live in a competent universe. We are part of a brilliant planet, and we are surrounded by genius.”

During the talk, she reveals dozens of new products that take their cue from nature with spectacular results. Take a look: 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

A little light entertainment as we head into the weekend. Happy sunshine-bottling gnomes battle gloomy swamp-dwellers in this cartoon from 1935. (via Fed by Birds)

Have a good weekend, everyone!

The folks at TED have just posted video of the presentation Al Gore gave at the TED Conference in Monterey last month.

This is not the slideshow he’s presented over 2,000 times and which forms the basis of the movie An Inconvenient Truth. Instead, this is a new presentation “cobbled together” as he puts it, to fit the shorter format of the TED Conference, and delivered here for the first time.

Probably because of that, the talk is a little rough around the edges. Nonetheless, it’s a compelling, stirring performance and his theme of optimism in the face of the challenges ahead is one I think we can all get behind.

Just try to watch this and not grin:

Graying, taciturn Scotsman