I'm not in favor of plugging sites, but this one may be interesting for some of you. On it, you'll find quite a few talks from scientists, opinion makers and some artists too. The topics of their presentations are so diverse, chances are you will find something of your liking.

The list of talks:http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks

The main site: http://www.ted.com/

Personally, I enjoyed Ron Eglash's talk "African fractals, in buildings and braids (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/198)", Vilayanur Ramachandran's "A journey to the center of your mind (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/184)" and Carolyn Porco's "Fly me to the moons of Saturn (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/178)".

Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with TED in any way.

Thanks for posting! :)

I like the Amory Lovins talk...Ending the Oil Endgame.

Life is WAY too short to listen to people talking! Let me know when this stuff is available in transcription.

I like the Amory Lovins talk...Ending the Oil Endgame.
Then you might like "Why can't we grow new energy? (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/193)" from Juan Enriquez, too.

Life is WAY too short to listen to people talking! Let me know when this stuff is available in transcription.
You want a transcription of the first images of the enigmatic surface of Titan, with a shore line bordering a sea of liquid methane? Or, a transcription of the ice jets of Enceladus?

Tricky.

Nevertheless, let me give you a quotation of, what I have found to be, the most captivating lines in that presentation.

This was an international mission. [The success of the Cassini voyage] was celebrated in Europe, in Germany, and the celebratory presentations were given in English accents, American, German, French, Italian and Dutch accents. It was a moving demonstration of what the words united nations were supposed to mean. A true union of nations joined together in a colossal effort for good. In this case, it was a massive undertaking to explore a planet and to come to understand a planetary system that, for all of human history, had been unreachable and now, humans have touched it.

Then you might like "Why can't we grow new energy? (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/193)" from Juan Enriquez, too.
I thought he was going to get around to talking about specific biotechs for transforming coal into methane, or some such...but he was just teasing.

Life is WAY too short to listen to people talking! Let me know when this stuff is available in transcription.
I find I can absorb more info through listening than reading. Especially with fast talkers...not John Wayne.

And unlike a classroom lecture, you can always rewind.

I thought he was going to get around to talking about specific biotechs for transforming coal into methane, or some such...but he was just teasing.
True, but nevertheless I liked his advice at the end: a solid oil price, to give emerging technologies a chance. I'm not sure if that would work in reality, but, at the very least, it is thought provoking.