On 5 November, twelve fearless speakers explored the theme of ‘Ripples of Curiosity’ during the 4th annual TEDxCERN event, which was held in CERN’s main auditorium. In addition to the 400 creative thinkers and doers who attended the event in person, an estimate of 3800 people tuned into the live webcast from home or from one of the 75 live-viewing parties hosted in 33 countries.
The event rushed the audience through an exhilarating journey of exploration and revelation. From the depths of the ocean, through cosmos and space and time, speakers became connected to one another – confiding in how they uncovered their ideas, which started as ripples of curiosity and gradually evolved. A common theme was the notion that we should embrace (instead of fear) advancements in science, technology and health, but remain cautious as to how new technologies are employed.
“Our fear of technology comes from historical evidence for its use for inhumane purposes,” asserted Samira Hayat, a researcher developing drones and TEDxCERN speaker. “It’s not the fault of the tool… but the fault of the hand using it.”
Samira Hayat on redefining the role drones play in society. (Image: TEDxCERN)The event also hosted several visually stunning exhibits and activities, such as the opportunity to record a one-minute TED-style talk, and an opportunity for guests to meet the speakers.
“The huge numbers of views and the feed-back were great, but to me the most gratifying aspect is to have been part of this incredible team,” said Claudia Marcelloni De Oliveira, the curator of TEDxCERN. “I love the fact that together, we created a constructive, inspirational and exciting event with topics wrongly perceived as dry.”
The videos of the talks will be available in few weeks time on http://tedxcern.web.cern.ch/.