How I fell in love with quasars, blazars and our incredible universe

A 50-foot-long carnivore who hunted its prey in rivers 97 million years ago, the spinosaurus is a “dragon from deep time.” Paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim and his crew found new fossils, hidden in cliffs of the Moroccan Sahara desert, that are helping us learn more about the first swimming dinosaur — who might also be the largest carnivorous dinosaur of all. Watch »

Chris Milk uses cutting-edge technology to make films that delight and enchant. But the human story is the driving force behind everything he does. In this short, charming talk, he shows some of his collaborations with musicians including Kanye West and Arcade Fire, and describes his latest, mind-bending experiments with virtual reality. Watch »

As kids, we all get advice from parents and teachers that seems strange, even confusing. This was crystallized one night for a young Clint Smith, who was playing with water guns in a dark parking lot with his white friends. In a heartfelt piece, the poet paints the scene of his father’s furious and fearful response. Watch »

For all the aid money that’s gone to ending poverty — it’s still with us. Civil rights expert Gary Haugen suggests one hidden reason why, a pervasive problem that drives people into poverty and firmly keeps them there. Haugen reveals the dark underlying cause we must recognize and act on now. Watch »