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And she’s also a classically trained actor, who — through her organization Rising Stargirls — teaches astronomy to middle school girls of color using theater, writing and visual art to <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/ted-fellow-aomawa-shields-looks-for-life-on-other-planets-and-inspires-young-scientists-through-the-arts/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-96360" class="post-96360 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-live-from-ted tag-astronomy tag-exoplanets tag-sara-seager tag-space tag-ted2015 initiatives-ted-conferences has-thumbnail not-featured odd top i-1 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/sara-seager-on-the-hunt-for-exoplanets-at-ted2015/" data-slug="sara-seager-on-the-hunt-for-exoplanets-at-ted2015" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/03/sara-seager.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='Our night sky is teeming with exoplanets: Sara Seager on the hunt for another earth at TED2015' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/sara-seager-on-the-hunt-for-exoplanets-at-ted2015/" data-slug="sara-seager-on-the-hunt-for-exoplanets-at-ted2015"> Our night sky is teeming with exoplanets: Sara Seager on the hunt for another earth at TED2015 </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/kateted/" title="Posts by Kate Torgovnick May" class="author url fn" rel="author">Kate Torgovnick May</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2015-03-17" pubdate > Mar 17, 2015 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>“Are we alone? Is there life out there?” asks Sara Seager on the stage in Session 4 of TED2015. “These questions have been around for thousands of years since the days of the Greek philosophers. I’m here to tell you just how close we are getting.” Seager is a professor at MIT who has been referred <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/sara-seager-on-the-hunt-for-exoplanets-at-ted2015/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-95051" class="post-95051 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-inside-the-animators-studio tag-animation tag-astronomy tag-comets tag-justin-dowd tag-life tag-physics tag-space tag-ted-ed tag-the-universe initiatives-ted-ed has-thumbnail not-featured even i-2 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/could-comets-explain-why-theres-life-on-earth-a-lesson-in-chalk/" data-slug="could-comets-explain-why-theres-life-on-earth-a-lesson-in-chalk" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/unnamed-1-575x323.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='Could comets explain why there’s life on Earth? A lesson in chalk' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/could-comets-explain-why-theres-life-on-earth-a-lesson-in-chalk/" data-slug="could-comets-explain-why-theres-life-on-earth-a-lesson-in-chalk"> Could comets explain why there’s life on Earth? A lesson in chalk </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/emiliested/" title="Posts by Emilie Soffe" class="author url fn" rel="author">Emilie Soffe</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2015-01-21" pubdate > Jan 21, 2015 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>When Justin Dowd worked as a food runner at a restaurant, he would sometimes doodle on the chalkboard in the kitchen. He had no idea that this skill — coupled with his ability to explain physics — would one day win him a trip to space. The science writer and animator who created the TED-Ed lesson “Could comets <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/could-comets-explain-why-theres-life-on-earth-a-lesson-in-chalk/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-89412" class="post-89412 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-fellows-friday tag-astronomy tag-biodiversity tag-cancer tag-citizen-science tag-crowdsourcing tag-research tag-robert-simpson tag-science-2 tag-ted-fellows tag-zooniverse initiatives-ted-fellows has-thumbnail not-featured odd i-3 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/you-found-a-planet-robert-simpson-on-zooniverse/" data-slug="you-found-a-planet-robert-simpson-on-zooniverse" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/04/blog_ff_robertsimpson_clean1.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='You found a planet!: Robert Simpson crowdsources scientific research and accelerates discovery at Zooniverse' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/you-found-a-planet-robert-simpson-on-zooniverse/" data-slug="you-found-a-planet-robert-simpson-on-zooniverse"> You found a planet!: Robert Simpson crowdsources scientific research and accelerates discovery at Zooniverse </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/mmechinita/" title="Posts by Karen Frances Eng" class="author url fn" rel="author">Karen Frances Eng</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2014-04-18" pubdate > Apr 18, 2014 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>  Scientific research is generating far more data than the average researcher can get through. Meanwhile, modern computing has yet to catch up with the superior discernment of the human eye. The solution? Enlist the help of citizen scientists. British astronomer and web developer Robert Simpson is part of the online platform Zooniverse, which lets more than one <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/you-found-a-planet-robert-simpson-on-zooniverse/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-87349" class="post-87349 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-live-from-ted tag-andrew-connolly tag-astronomy tag-live-from-ted2014 tag-science-2 tag-ted2014 has-thumbnail not-featured even i-4 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/deep-and-faint-in-the-night-sky-andrew-connolly-at-ted2014/" data-slug="deep-and-faint-in-the-night-sky-andrew-connolly-at-ted2014" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/03/ted2014_dd_dsc_7324_1920.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='Deep and faint in the night sky: Andrew Connolly at TED2014' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/deep-and-faint-in-the-night-sky-andrew-connolly-at-ted2014/" data-slug="deep-and-faint-in-the-night-sky-andrew-connolly-at-ted2014"> Deep and faint in the night sky: Andrew Connolly at TED2014 </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/lillieb/" title="Posts by Ben Lillie" class="author url fn" rel="author">Ben Lillie</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2014-03-20" pubdate > Mar 20, 2014 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>Astronomer Andrew Connolly begins by telling us that in 1781, English composer, technologist and composer Sir William Herschel noticed something unusual, a little bit of data that was wrong. This was the discovery of a new planet, Uranus. (“A name that has entertained countelss generations of children.”) Just last week NASA announced 517 new planets, almost doubled <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/deep-and-faint-in-the-night-sky-andrew-connolly-at-ted2014/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-87430" class="post-87430 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-live-from-ted tag-astronomy tag-live-from-ted2014 tag-science-2 tag-ted2014 has-thumbnail not-featured odd i-5 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/blocking-light-to-see-planets-beyond-the-solar-system-jeremy-kasdin-at-ted2014/" data-slug="blocking-light-to-see-planets-beyond-the-solar-system-jeremy-kasdin-at-ted2014" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/03/ted2014_dd_dsc_5123_1920.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='Blocking light to see planets beyond the solar system: Jeremy Kasdin at TED2014' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/blocking-light-to-see-planets-beyond-the-solar-system-jeremy-kasdin-at-ted2014/" data-slug="blocking-light-to-see-planets-beyond-the-solar-system-jeremy-kasdin-at-ted2014"> Blocking light to see planets beyond the solar system: Jeremy Kasdin at TED2014 </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/lillieb/" title="Posts by Ben Lillie" class="author url fn" rel="author">Ben Lillie</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2014-03-19" pubdate > Mar 19, 2014 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>“The universe is teeming with planets,” and Jeremy Kasdin, an astronomer at Princeton University, wants to see them. Not in the way they’ve been detected so far, but directly. He wants to build a space telescope that will image a planet around another star and tell if it harbors life. There is probably one per star <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/blocking-light-to-see-planets-beyond-the-solar-system-jeremy-kasdin-at-ted2014/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-87807" class="post-87807 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-live-from-ted tag-allan-adams tag-astronomy tag-cosmology tag-live-from-ted2014 tag-randall-munroe tag-science-2 tag-ted2014 has-thumbnail not-featured even i-6 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/allan-adams-and-randall-munroe-explain-a-physics-discovery-at-ted2014/" data-slug="allan-adams-and-randall-munroe-explain-a-physics-discovery-at-ted2014" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/03/ted2014_dd_dsc_3781_1920.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='Allan Adams and Randall Munroe explain a physics discovery at TED2014' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/allan-adams-and-randall-munroe-explain-a-physics-discovery-at-ted2014/" data-slug="allan-adams-and-randall-munroe-explain-a-physics-discovery-at-ted2014"> Allan Adams and Randall Munroe explain a physics discovery at TED2014 </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/lillieb/" title="Posts by Ben Lillie" class="author url fn" rel="author">Ben Lillie</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2014-03-18" pubdate > Mar 18, 2014 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>In a surprise talk tonight, Allan Adams took the stage to explain a remarkable discovery announced just yesterday. And since he’s here and is amazing, Randall Munroe of xkcd illustrated the talk. As Adams tells us, if you look into the night sky, you see stars … and if you look further, you see more stars. <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/allan-adams-and-randall-munroe-explain-a-physics-discovery-at-ted2014/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-87451" class="post-87451 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-live-from-ted tag-astronomy tag-brian-greene tag-cosmology tag-live-from-ted2014 tag-science-2 tag-ted2014 has-thumbnail not-featured odd i-7 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/the-history-and-future-of-the-universe-in-four-minutes-brian-greene-at-ted2014/" data-slug="the-history-and-future-of-the-universe-in-four-minutes-brian-greene-at-ted2014" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/03/ted2014_dd_dsc_3709.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='The history and future of the Universe in four minutes: Brian Greene at TED2014' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/the-history-and-future-of-the-universe-in-four-minutes-brian-greene-at-ted2014/" data-slug="the-history-and-future-of-the-universe-in-four-minutes-brian-greene-at-ted2014"> The history and future of the Universe in four minutes: Brian Greene at TED2014 </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/lillieb/" title="Posts by Ben Lillie" class="author url fn" rel="author">Ben Lillie</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2014-03-18" pubdate > Mar 18, 2014 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>Physicist Brian Green promises he will tell the audience at TED 2014 the whole history of the universe in four minutes. “Forgive me,” he says, “if I leave out a detail here or there.” He does it with two metaphors. One from the beginning till now, and another from now till the end. The universe <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/the-history-and-future-of-the-universe-in-four-minutes-brian-greene-at-ted2014/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-83323" class="post-83323 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-culture tag-africa-2 tag-african-cultural-astronomy-project tag-astronomy tag-cultural-astronomy tag-fellows-friday tag-indigenous-astronomy tag-johnson-urama tag-ted-fellow tag-ted-fellows initiatives-ted-fellows has-thumbnail not-featured even i-8 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/the-moons-path-is-full-of-thorns-fellows-friday-with-johnson-urama/" data-slug="the-moons-path-is-full-of-thorns-fellows-friday-with-johnson-urama" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/11/blog_ff_johnsonurama_clean.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='The moon’s path is full of thorns: Fellows Friday with Johnson Urama' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/the-moons-path-is-full-of-thorns-fellows-friday-with-johnson-urama/" data-slug="the-moons-path-is-full-of-thorns-fellows-friday-with-johnson-urama"> The moon’s path is full of thorns: Fellows Friday with Johnson Urama </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/mmechinita/" title="Posts by Karen Frances Eng" class="author url fn" rel="author">Karen Frances Eng</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2013-11-1" pubdate > Nov 1, 2013 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>Nigerian astronomer Johnson Urama wants to promote the future of astronomy in Africa by looking deep into history. With his African Cultural Astronomy Project, he is gathering the lost ancient astronomical traditions and stories of indigenous Africa, hoping to show modern Africans that the science of the skies is relevant to their past, present and future. <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/the-moons-path-is-full-of-thorns-fellows-friday-with-johnson-urama/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-80245" class="post-80245 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-science tag-astronomy tag-holidays tag-moon tag-playlist tag-space tag-ted-talks has-thumbnail not-featured odd i-9 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/6-talks-to-watch-this-moon-day/" data-slug="6-talks-to-watch-this-moon-day" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/07/thinkstock_71569959.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='6 talks to watch this Moon Day' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/6-talks-to-watch-this-moon-day/" data-slug="6-talks-to-watch-this-moon-day"> 6 talks to watch this Moon Day </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/niaashley66/" title="Posts by Nia Ashley" class="author url fn" rel="author">Nia Ashley</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2013-07-20" pubdate > Jul 20, 2013 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon. Moon Day is held every July 20 to commemorate this momentous feat. 43 years later, humanity is still looking to the sky, mesmerized by lunar bodies. However, it is not just Earth’s moon we’re studying anymore. With better satellites and <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/6-talks-to-watch-this-moon-day/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-80234" class="post-80234 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-science tag-astronomy tag-carolyn-porco tag-cassini tag-saturn tag-space tag-the-day-the-earth-smiled has-thumbnail not-featured even i-10 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/smile-for-the-camera-a-photograph-of-earth-is-being-taken-from-a-billion-miles-away-today/" data-slug="smile-for-the-camera-a-photograph-of-earth-is-being-taken-from-a-billion-miles-away-today" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/07/saturn-in-eclipse.jpeg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='Smile for the camera: A photograph of Earth is being taken from a billion miles away today' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/smile-for-the-camera-a-photograph-of-earth-is-being-taken-from-a-billion-miles-away-today/" data-slug="smile-for-the-camera-a-photograph-of-earth-is-being-taken-from-a-billion-miles-away-today"> Smile for the camera: A photograph of Earth is being taken from a billion miles away today </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/kateted/" title="Posts by Kate Torgovnick May" class="author url fn" rel="author">Kate Torgovnick May</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2013-07-19" pubdate > Jul 19, 2013 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>Today may go down in history as The Day the Earth Smiled. Or, at least, that is what TED speaker Carolyn Porco (watch her talk) is hoping. Today from 9:27 to 9:42 pm GMT, the Cassini spaceship — an unmanned ship studying Saturn — will be taking a photograph of Saturn and its ring system. And <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/smile-for-the-camera-a-photograph-of-earth-is-being-taken-from-a-billion-miles-away-today/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-72548" class="post-72548 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-science tag-astronomy tag-cosmology tag-guy-raz tag-npr tag-space tag-ted-radio-hour has-thumbnail not-featured odd i-11 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/peering-into-space-ted-radio-hour-takes-you-beyond-the-void/" data-slug="peering-into-space-ted-radio-hour-takes-you-beyond-the-void" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/03/peering-into-space-feature.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='“Peering into Space”: TED Radio Hour takes you beyond the void' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/peering-into-space-ted-radio-hour-takes-you-beyond-the-void/" data-slug="peering-into-space-ted-radio-hour-takes-you-beyond-the-void"> “Peering into Space”: TED Radio Hour takes you beyond the void </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/kateted/" title="Posts by Kate Torgovnick May" class="author url fn" rel="author">Kate Torgovnick May</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2013-03-8" pubdate > Mar 8, 2013 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>Huddle around the radio, all. TED Radio Hour’s second season is under way and episode two, “Peering into Space” premieres today. Host Guy Raz says that this episode may even be his favorite created so far. In an interview with the TED Blog, he said, “It totally changed my world … I think people who <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/peering-into-space-ted-radio-hour-takes-you-beyond-the-void/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-70031" class="post-70031 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-science tag-astronomy tag-outer-space tag-sound tag-ted-weekends tag-universe has-thumbnail not-featured even i-12 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/ted-weekends-listens-to-outer-space/" data-slug="ted-weekends-listens-to-outer-space" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/02/honor-harger.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='TED Weekends listens to outer space' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/ted-weekends-listens-to-outer-space/" data-slug="ted-weekends-listens-to-outer-space"> TED Weekends listens to outer space </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/shirinsmoore/" title="Posts by Shirin Samimi-Moore" class="author url fn" rel="author">Shirin Samimi-Moore</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2013-02-23" pubdate > Feb 23, 2013 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>Honor Harger isn’t your typical artist. Or your typical astronomer. At the TEDSalon London Spring 2011, Harger shared how she brings these two seemingly unrelated disciplines together — the study of sound and the study of space — to record the songs of planets, moons and quasars. Her talk is called “A history of the universe in <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/ted-weekends-listens-to-outer-space/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-69538" class="post-69538 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-science tag-aliens tag-archaeology tag-astronomy tag-evolution tag-playlist tag-space tag-technology-2 tag-transportation tag-universe initiatives-ted-talks has-thumbnail not-featured odd i-13 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/new-playlists-ancient-clues-planes-trains-and-automobiles-and-are-we-alone-in-the-universe/" data-slug="new-playlists-ancient-clues-planes-trains-and-automobiles-and-are-we-alone-in-the-universe" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/02/planes_trains_automobiles-feature.jpg?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='New playlists: “Ancient clues,” “Planes, trains and automobiles” and “Are we alone in the universe?”' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/new-playlists-ancient-clues-planes-trains-and-automobiles-and-are-we-alone-in-the-universe/" data-slug="new-playlists-ancient-clues-planes-trains-and-automobiles-and-are-we-alone-in-the-universe"> New playlists: “Ancient clues,” “Planes, trains and automobiles” and “Are we alone in the universe?” </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/tedstaff/" title="Posts by TED Staff" class="author url fn" rel="author">TED Staff</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2013-02-17" pubdate > Feb 17, 2013 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>TED playlists are collections of talks around a topic, built for you in a thoughtful sequence to illuminate ideas in context. This weekend, three new playlists are available: “Ancient clues,” “Planes, trains and automobiles” and “Are we alone in the universe?” Ancient clues Five fascinating talks by archaeologists and evolutionary biologists about humanity’s beginnings and <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/new-playlists-ancient-clues-planes-trains-and-automobiles-and-are-we-alone-in-the-universe/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> <article id="post-62369" class="post-62369 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-global-issues tag-aliens tag-astronomy tag-crowdfunding tag-jill-tarter tag-seti-institute tag-space tag-space-exploration tag-ted-prize tag-uwingu initiatives-ted-prize has-thumbnail not-featured even i-14 clearfix" role="article"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/a-new-way-to-fund-space-exploration-from-2009-ted-prize-winner-jill-tarter/" data-slug="a-new-way-to-fund-space-exploration-from-2009-ted-prize-winner-jill-tarter" class="post-thumbnail"> <img src='https://i0.wp.com/blog.ted.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2012/09/screenshot-31.png?resize=283%2C212&ssl=1' width='283' height='212' alt='A new way to fund space exploration, from 2009 TED Prize winner Jill Tarter' /> </a> <h2 class="post-title"> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/a-new-way-to-fund-space-exploration-from-2009-ted-prize-winner-jill-tarter/" data-slug="a-new-way-to-fund-space-exploration-from-2009-ted-prize-winner-jill-tarter"> A new way to fund space exploration, from 2009 TED Prize winner Jill Tarter </a> </h2> <div class="meta"> <div class="meta__author"> <span>By</span> <a href="https://blog.ted.com/author/mstarestarb/" title="Posts by Morton Bast" class="author url fn" rel="author">Morton Bast</a> </div> <div class="meta__date"> <span>on</span> <time datetime="2012-09-7" pubdate > Sep 7, 2012 </time> </div> </div> <div class="excerpt"> <p>Astronomer Jill Tarter wants us all to ask the question, “Are we alone?” As director of the SETI Institute (it stands for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), Tarter is dedicated to seeking the answer, as well as to imparting upon one and all the importance of the search. In 2009, Tarter was awarded the prestigious <a class="read-more" title="Read more" href="https://blog.ted.com/a-new-way-to-fund-space-exploration-from-2009-ted-prize-winner-jill-tarter/">[<span>…</span>]</a></p> </div> </article> </div>  <div id="sidebar1" class="sidebar fourcol last clearfix" role="complementary"> <div id="nav_menu-4" class="widget widget_nav_menu"><div class="title">Follow TED</div><div class="menu-social-sidebar-container"><ul id="menu-social-sidebar" class="menu"><li id="menu-item-89070" class="soc-twitter soc-icon menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-89070"><a href="http://twitter.com/tedtalks">Twitter</a></li> <li id="menu-item-89073" class="soc-instagram soc-icon menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-89073"><a href="http://instagram.com/ted">Instagram</a></li> <li id="menu-item-89074" class="soc-youtube soc-icon menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-89074"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/ted">YouTube</a></li> <li id="menu-item-89076" class="soc-mail soc-icon menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-89076"><a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TEDBlog&loc=en_US">Subscribe to TED Blog by email</a></li> </ul></div></div><div id="acm_ad_zones-4" class="widget acm_ad_zones"><div id='acm-ad-tag-advertisement' style="esc_attr( )"> <script type='text/javascript'> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('acm-ad-tag-advertisement'); 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