Paul Sereno: What can fossils teach us?

www.ted.com Strange landscapes, scorching heat and (sometimes) mad crocodiles await scientists seeking clues to evolution's genius. Paleontologist Paul Sereno talks about his surprising encounters with prehistory -- and a new way to help students join the adventure.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com, at www.ted.com/ind...

[@sciopadore]

I had the pleasure to meet this guy and his wife once in Amsterdam,we talked for hours ,really cool guy,would love to go on a field trip and dig some dinosaurs with him!

[@LibanPhotography]

12:57 scared the living shit out of me.

[@lynchmobb2000]

Science, thank you. I learned something new today. The discussion I was having with that poor uneducated person was merely trying to show that the mutation rate required for evolution to be viable was nothing outrageous or mathematically impossible. Thanks for the info. Cheers.

[@ndjarnag]

best TED video I've seen in a loong time.

[@NosceTe]

Beautiful addition.

[@chinaliew]

his english so clear and good

[@lynchmobb2000]

"So how many molecular transitions do you think it would take to change a land animal into a whale ? 50,000? 1,000,000?" Molecular transitions? That is a meaningless phrase, but I think what you mean is "base pair mutations." Well, the average mammal species has 3 billion base pairs, then it would take 50 million base pairs. Since it took 15 million years to complete the transition, that is 3-4 base pairs per year, exactly along the lines of what we see in mammals today. Debate over.

[@seyoumeye]

For Snake Master or "sons of the serpent"... read Michael Tsarion work although be advice he might be a member of the Rosy Croix...?

[@heathenwizard]

I think I saw him give a version of this speech at the HMNS a long time ago.

[@NosceTe]

I think his comments on his own way to science are as great as those dinosaurs shown

[@ApocDevTeam]

lol when that crocodile suddenly turned. must have scared the shit out the guy sitting on it

[@lynchmobb2000]

Sax, the minute I get the feeling my interlocutor is a troll, I stop too. But the reason I argue is that there is small chance that the next young Einstein or Salk is reading these pages and might chose a different path if they don't see nonsense refuted. I flatter myself but there is a chance and I hope that thoughtful young people might see that rationalism always wins. Cheers.

[@DeletedDelusion]

Awesome video.

[@jksvana]

I didn't know "Papa John" was really into Dinosaurs. Neat.

[@lynchmobb2000]

Creationist quote mining... what's the matter, couldn't find anything older than 1977? Well, a few things have been discovered since then including, but not limited to: Tiktaalik - the exact transitional form between fish and land animals. Found. Debate over. Ambulocetus -the exact transistional form between land animals and whales. Found. Debate over. Even if not 1 fossil of any kind were ever found, the evidence from comparative biology and genetics would still substantiate evolution.

[@Aaberg123]

I've seen the same guys arguments that you have. But 50,000 changes over 4 millon years comes to 1 small change every 80 years. No problem.

[@lynchmobb2000]

What we see, in the fossil record, is a progressive series of fossils, from simple forms to more advanced forms over the course of 4 billion years. The fossil record is exactly mirrored by the genetic record. The 2 match up exactly. The species most closely related in the fossil record, are also the most closely related in their genes. The anatomy of closely related species is also seen in comparative anatomy, which verifies the fossil record and genetic record exactly. Debate over.

[@algerhistogram]

i'm going to bookmark where i am in this video. i have watched through 8:43

[@2degucitas]

@Archaenum AMEN!!!!! Let's start a petition.

[@MrHapraker]

hydraulics, puppetry, jumper cables, catapult, geyser......

[@highway234]

paomnnehal: i dunno, i think we probably actually need more generalists.

[@2degucitas]

I bet conditions there at the dig are sketchy right now, due to politics and rebels. Stay safe, Sereno.

[@lynchmobb2000]

@cobleymj Oh? What specifically am I wrong about? Or are you just, "that guy"?

[@samala51]

incroyable!

[@Kennethr197]

Sup

[@Paomnnehal]

Can you do anything but quote mine? Lol

[@lynchmobb2000]

The vast vast majority of mutations are anywhere from neutral to beneficial. We now know that each individual on earth has an average of 4 base pair mutations different from their parents. That means you and me too. So the vast majority of mutations add information to the genome. Your understanding of science and evolution is poor. Spend a few years reading and learning before you try to speak about somethin of which you know almost nothing.

[@isegoria1]

Blatant misunderstanding of self replicating systems as well as decent with modification.

[@therealgeeza]

ha ha. actually they are flying spaghetti monster middens.

[@farvision]

how can someone rise from the dead?

[@DangerousFacts48]

I don't think any of us are FULLY evolved humans...

[@Icix1]

Obviously.

[@therealgeeza]

the title of this video is misleading. this a rambling talk about not much.

[@ninjack5255]

hahahahahahhahhahahah @ u

[@Aaberg123]

"I'm an evo biology major. I can't wait to be able to stuff like this! I wanna go to a random desert that's way too hot & dig up old dead things! YAY!" Some people devote their entire life to a fairy tale. We call them priests.

[@saxquiz]

People who don't accept Evolution don't even deserve to be argued with.

[@isegoria1]

Rambling crappy talk? But you could not counter even one single point that he made.

[@perqa]

haha xD

[@Paomnnehal]

I see we have a creationist (or maybe troll) on the page lol All he's doing is quote mining.

[@isegoria1]

Rambling because you just could not grasp the topic.

[@farvision]

bornagain7777777 lookup ring species if you want to learn something.

[@Paomnnehal]

Yeah, those damn fossils, misleading people... pshh...

[@isegoria1]

Argument from blather? Nice but fail

[@tomdschneider]

bornagain7777777, see the paper and program pointed to from my channel.

[@ridwanp7884]

nice lecture paul sereno. but you need to show all your fossil dicoveries, show to people the real bones or the photographs of all the real original fossils that you have found so far. show it here on youtube, do not show cast or robot dinosaurs, those are fake

[@get2rog]

Ridwan P I understand your point but it is also important to demonstrate the mechanics of research so as not to mislead potential students and to weed out those that are interested because they love dinosaurs from a dynamic perspective: ''I want to see dinosaurs and dig up fossils''. No point filling placements with misguided people who will eventually drop out. Personally I think like minded, ''appropriate'' individuals will find this presentation fascinating and exciting enough.

[@Flyborg]

Your memories were put there to decieve you; the Earth is less than 6 seconds old.

[@Icix1]

Just so you know I was being sarcastic. There are MOUNTAINS of evidence, literally, to prove evolution. God just has a few books, written by humans, i might add. A tad fishy perhaps? God is so powerful he needs mortal men to write down his views, and then he needs mortal men to warp and distort his image over a thousands of years?

[@Icix1]

Yeah there's definitely no proof for evolution.