What if Everything You Know is Wrong: Bob McDonald at TEDxVictoria 2013

Bob McDonald
One of Canada's favourite science journalists, Bob McDonald has been the dynamic host of Quirks & Quarks since 1992. The regular science commentator on CBC News Network, Bob is also the science correspondent for CBC TV's The National. Before joining Quirks & Quarks, Bob was the host of CBC Television's children's science program Wonderstruck. He has also managed to find time to be the author of two books based on the program, Wonderstruck I and Wonderstruck II.
Twitter: @CBCQuirks
Website: www.cbc.ca/quirks/
TEDxVictoria
Twitter: @TEDxVictoria
Website: tedxvictoria.com
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@SamSung-jq4ho]

Humans: "We are the first species to actually change the chemistry of the atmosphere" Cyanobacteria: Hold my chlorophyll.

[@RuinedTemple]

Ha! And if it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be here breathing this sweet sweet air that we do!

[@thehixfromthestix642]

I spewed my drink..don't do that to me

[@donfarlan214]

you think maybe from passing wind

[@happywelldriller]

LOL Seems like the ego has perhaps taken over many scientific endeavors turning them into Quixotic exercises in the human condition

[@hotdog7988]

Two scientists walk into a bar/. One says a glass of CO2 thanks. The second says I'll have a glass of CO2 too thanks, drank it and died. Why?

[@littlemrpinkness295]

The more I know, the greater is my understanding that I know so very little. Every time I learn one thing, the amount of things I don't know increases exponentially. I hate that it does that, and I love that it does that.

[@tshagah8222]

Damn proverbial boss👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@donaldrobinson6502]

That's just the way it is once you get the answer to one question it opens up 10 more questions, so as they say why ask why.

[@candyquahogmarshmallow8257]

Pity the religious dont think like this. They claim to have all the answers in a book written by semi-illiterate goat herders who didn't know where the sun went at night.

[@EnxzVFXz]

Been feeling like this too

[@jonisaacson9253]

But our ignorance is at a higher level. We do know more than we did, even though it means we now see how much we don't know.

[@ivecavalcante7513]

Loved it! See you in 6 million years!

[@HectorGanzon]

"True wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing" - Socrates

[@emilofcrete]

It is maybe not so remarkable that you not only have a Greek name but also knowledge about Greek wisdom. Well done! (Coming from a Greek person) What you said in Greek: Eν οίδα ότι ουδέν οίδα. Meaning "one (thing) I know, that I know nothing".

[@ohadd4211]

@@emilofcrete ש!שששששש!

[@harps290]

Have to disagree with know nothing.

[@vashtheimpaler2610]

Favorite quote is “Everything we know is only a drop worth of water and what we dont know is an ocean’s worth” -Dark

[@jonisaacson9253]

Socrates walked around Athens asking people who were supposed to be knowledgeable what they knew and how they knew it. He concluded that they, as well as he, really knew nothing. For example, he concluded that the greatest writers were really idiots who were inspired by the Gods, but didn't understand what they had written.

[@Jefferdaughter]

Scientists, even more than the rest of us, should remain open to the possibility that everything they think they know could be wrong.

[@sarahhaugh7922]

Science advances one funeral at a time!

[@altareggo]

lol true scientists are constantly trying to disprove everything they think they know. A scientific idea (hypothesis) doesn't get to be called a theory until a) it explains nicely, a very substantial portion of the relevant information we have now, and has survived repeated experiments trying to disprove it, and b) it is "falsifiable" - i.e., it can be disproven via new information that it fails to satisfactorily explain. True scientists are the Ultimate Skeptics.

[@joecoolioness6399]

@@altareggo Well said. Also, theories have solid evidence to back them up. They aren't just ideas pulled out of someone's rear.

[@kerryburns6041]

Scientists need to be funded, which has made science the servant of technology. Scientists take a huge risk when they challenge the status quo, safety favours the ¨Herd Instinct.¨

[@Digitalkeyboardwarrior]

Jefferdaughter it is wrong

[@Landrew0]

Bob makes a very good point about attitudes in science. When scientists stop respecting each others' opinions, it stops being science. When we start to believe that other viewpoints represent some sort of "enemy" it becomes politics, not science. The truth is not decided by consensus; you don't "vote" for what is a fact or not. The scientific method is the best tool we have weighing evidence, but that's not being done when someone is playing politics. Science is about letting the evidence form our opinions. Politics is the art of changing people's minds. The two have nothing in common.

[@rvnmedic1968]

Exactly true! And this is where the anthropogenic warming crowd falls flat on their collective faces. They always tout "consensus by global scientists". They have manipulated data, shut down all serious discussions to the contrary. Bob is a tool for the Leftist politicians.

[@reeselittle35]

You are right Landrew0 and good comment. Unfortunately there is far to much politics in the science community. So much so that if you are a scientist that has a view point contrary to the political world, proven or not, you are ostracized. Just take a look at the life of Tesla. (Not the car). He was one of the most influential men of the modern age and was not very popular among his peers. I think it has been that way for hundreds of years. Call it pride or greed it does not matter. What really matters is that true science is the search for knowledge and the love of discovery. It has rules and laws that are far to often broken for the sake of pride or greed. It is to bad that people like Bob have fallen into this trap and are spreading it around. Starting with the first words out of his mouth talking about how man walked on all fours. Where is the proof from all the test you have done? Where is the fossil that shows evolution out side of a species ever existed? How about the lie that men and Dino's did not coexist. There are castles and grave stones that show they actually did. And how about global warming? I remember in the 80's when the world was supposedly getting colder and we were headed into a possible age of ice. Too bad for their foolish wisdom.

[@bobbymccullough3210]

@@rvnmedic1968 How can you say "exactly true", and then do the same thing that he just warned against...

[@TasteMyStinkholeAndLikeIt]

Scientists don't need to respect opinions. They need to apply scientific methodology and determine facts. Opinions don't make a functioning computer. Facts do.

[@FRANKSNAKE71]

rvnmedic1968 Questions: Who is "they"? Where is objective proof of data manipulation? How has discussion of opposing views been shutdown? Your arguments just don't stand up to objective scrutiny, no offense. Opinion is not fact.

[@MrDamon888]

I love how people with an agenda can go from “ we do not know so much” to “ this is definite and there could be no debate about it “

[@NoNo-ce8xb]

Amen .. this guys on crack .

[@maryellonallen5973]

TED talks are church for lefties

[@blakebrown534]

He said we don't know everything about everything - saying that screwing up our planet is bad for our species is not some unknowable thing. I love how people with an agenda can take anything out of context to fit their narrative.

[@JesseHolbrook]

The agenda you dolts are talking about is a thermometer, wake up dipshits.

[@allensophiamusic4932]

"Ted talks are church for lefties.." What an arbitrary analogy to draw between the spreading of facts and the spreading of denial of the empirical world. Only difference is science calls out what it didn't know before. Religion just keeps on with what's unprovable. Climate change is real🤯

[@sunnymak4460]

this dude is a good teacher!!!

[@ridgequinn9435]

Great presentation 👍👍👏👏👌👌 thank you for your insight!

[@abloke8113]

The more i listen to this guy, the more i realise that we are very likely to find out the answer to this; the hard way. Science is never settled.

[@caleberwin65]

We will burn out sooner rather than later methinks.

[@greciaugusta]

What an amazing and inspiring talk.

[@robertkennyeddlemon6926]

This talk was full of fiction. All wrong

[@edwinthomasr]

"We are the first species to actually change the chemistry of our atmosphere" I think some cyanobacteria would like a word with you sir....

[@rogerz3624]

This is the point where I stopped and thought to myself... Oh.. He's a journalist not a real scientist. The earth's atmosphere has changed radically several times before humans ever became a thing.

[@ronemtae3468]

No it’s not true the earth has changed its own chemistry the temperature of the earth has swung over 100° in the last 45 billion years 99.99% of every animal is extinct before humans even began to stand up you could be anti-human but I won’t be

[@jameswoessner6856]

Yes, are changing the world for the better. Compare the increase in green vegetations in the past 30 years. The world is actually getting greener due to the fertilization effects of CO2.

[@HeatherSpoonheim]

I used to know everything - literally EVERYTHING...when I was 17 years old. I wish I would have written it all down so we could understand all these things that science still doesn't know, but I was too distracted by fun stuff and since then I've known less and less and now I barely know anything. Sorry for letting you all down.

[@greghamilton6681]

That's alright, Heather. But you may take some (a lot, really) comfort from the wise Socrates, my hero and mentor. He said that the most reliable indicator of wisdom is the ability to admit you know nothing. It's all uphill from there. Carry on. You're well on your way.

[@caydens.1250]

the regret of ignorance cuts deep. but wishing will not give back that knowledge- only actively searching for it will do. i hope for the best.

[@robertthompson2191]

So how is it that you knew everything at 17? Just curious.

[@HeatherSpoonheim]

@@robertthompson2191 I don't know because I seem to have lost all that vast knowledge. All that is left is a memory of how certain I was that I knew everything there was to know. Maybe all I had was that certainty but it seemed so authentic that it's hard to imagine it wasn't accompanied by the relevant knowledge.

[@greghamilton6681]

Heather was being beautifully ironic. Has that art deteriorated to the point where we can no longer recognise it? Didn't you notice, Swishaleo, that all seventeen year olds know everything--for a time?

[@bobert4him]

Well done Professor. You managed to talk about politics vs. science while choking back tears

[@killercuddles7051]

3 yrs ago.... Science is not important anymore. So called "Fact checking" Is more important. Sars CoV-2 is %100 politics and Zero science.

[@buzby303]

Yeah he was right about us not going to the moon too 😆

[@alicekumarsingh2504]

Jox

[@sattyre6892]

What an amazing science host. He extremely good at dumming down scientific talk so the common guy can understand it. It certainly shows that he has a pretty high level of science understanding on his own. And he has a great sense of humor. Thanks Bob.

[@growbydoing7290]

Uh...he’s a moron. None of that was even science lol

[@zemmig]

@@growbydoing7290 why is he a moron

[@growbydoing7290]

@@zemmig I’d suspect generations of inbreeding , alcoholism and horrible family life combined with a atrocious education system.

[@Clodd1]

This will never get old. (2022)

[@grantperkins368]

He's in a conundrum: He admits that just about everything we used to know is wrong, yet he's so sure he's right :D

[@ilikeme1234]

I think you’re the one facing a conundrum. You want to sound clever offering what you believe is a flaw in his logic while not understanding his logic at all. The argument is that individual human perspective is fundamentally flawed and biased. When humanity bases knowledge off of objective fact rather than personal beliefs our understanding of truth becomes more consistent and accurate.

[@vv-mc7io]

@@ilikeme1234 Grant Perkins is correct! In 40 years this Bob McDonald will seem as silly as the flat earthers! Have faith that humanity will solve the problem. Not everyone is as dense as you.

[@ilikeme1234]

Vern the great yeah, probably not. You’re confusing theories based on empirical evidence and meaningless beliefs. I’m surprised people like you are able to feed yourselves. I’d figure operating a fork would be difficult.

[@tcrown3333]

@@vv-mc7io O.K, Grant Perkins was joking and it was funny. However, isn't the main thrust of McDonald's argument that man/woman has always been 'wrong' in as much as we are constantly having to fine-tune and even change what we know as further facts/discoveries are uncovered? Maybe we are becoming 'less wrong' in comparison to our ancestors, but I think that is the point of his argument. That is beside the warning concerning the future of our fragile ecosystem.

[@angelmunoz3462]

Grant Perkins yeap another lost soul

[@irockluculent961]

Thank you! This is where I live: optimism based on human potential in the face of daunting global problems, mostly of our own making. We have to step up, it's what we are here to do, I believe. There is no Planet B.

[@oakleydavid7619]

The problem with humanity is covetness and greed. And those that suffer the most from these things are people. And the ones that promote and act upon these the most are dingbats that somehow beleive they are in charge of everything. I hope i said that correctly

[@Asmr_kungfu]

Oh, there are billions upon billions, and some day we will be able to reach some of them. Spaceflight is still in it’s infancy right now.

[@Harken81]

@@oakleydavid7619 Humans have not always been greedy. It's a result of scarcity (not having access to things) that we have become this way. The reason why don't have access is due to property laws and corporate greed which restricts access in order to gain profit in the monetary system. Think of the game Monopoly...it ends when there is only 1 player left that has all of the properties and all of the money. That's the game the world is currently playing. Maybe we need to tweak the game so that it never ends and players never go bankrupt...

[@praiselifeworshiplifeca4847]

I've had a couple teachers in my life like this one and I feel like I learned the most from them .some people are meant to be teachers other people are meant to be good students.

[@terriepehrson3103]

You know, More of Gods people need to come to terms THAT CIENCE IS GOD..GOD IS SCIENCE.. NOTHING IS THAT WASNT MADE BY GOD AND JESUS. ITS A FACT. EVERYTHING IS SCIENCE.

[@praiselifeworshiplifeca4847]

@Terrie Pehrson3 Deuteronomy 4:19 And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars-all the forces of heaven-don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The LORD your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth. Job 12:10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

[@ViperDan-9thPhiloZealot]

Worthless information.....................................

[@danuttall]

The best teachers must be themselves great students. Bob counts as both.

[@danielepini4169]

Hands down the best TED talk I've seen in a while, probably ever. Old dude there is definitely the kind of crazy I aspire to be, which is not even crazy as in pure madness, it's enlightment.

[@cuznbill3251]

Brainwashed not enlightened.every word was theory...not a fact spoken other than "we can't go to the moon."

[@ehrlich_]

Not really. Seen MUCH BETTER.

[@CaptZdq1]

If it's crazy, it's certainly not enlightenment.

[@charlesbrowne9590]

I think I’m right about everything. If I thought I was wrong, I’d change my mind and then l’d be right. Of course, everything I know is wrong, because language only approximates thoughts, and thoughts only approximate reality. At least I’m right about that.

[@themoviejockey]

Clever response 🤔

[@jameszeallor2735]

Those culminating approximations are glorious.

[@waynebow-gu7wr]

Are you sure ?

[@thezquito4295]

Been hangin out eith Stephon Erkel again I see.

[@kurtpedersen812]

You are totally right, unless of course, Bobs wrong. And Bob certainly has been wrong with false reports for decades.

[@GrimGod81]

The wizardry here is outstanding.

[@michaelmcdougal8600]

He's a fun teacher, and I don't recall hearing too many applauses at the end of ted talks like the one he received

[@jeanalice4732]

Must have been a Woke crowd. After all Gates has the solution too. Depopulation! Genocide. Etc. Did it ever occur to the nincompoop ya hooz that our weather etc changes are caused by solar issues and things in our solar system which we cannot see!!! Duh. Don't be so open minded that you're filled with Bolsheviks BS.

[@gadfly1357]

In my humble view, they all appear to be nothing more than a bunch of self-congratulatory fools. who believe in pseudoscientific nonsense. 'falsely or mistakenly claimed or regarded as being based on scientific method: "the pseudoscientific nonsense of their theories" · "pseudoscientific beliefs like astrology" '

[@MAGT]

Great talk. Unfortunately not much has changed since 2013.

[@NoName-jy8oc]

The earth is FLAT! Betcha didn't expect that one. 😂

[@pepper419]

He's an optimist. I'll give him that much.

[@barbossa70]

yes, he is an optimist, is that all you got out of the talk?

[@maximiliansousa4299]

@@barbossa70 We're screwed, that's the terrible truth. Just turn on the news. Capital, profit, luxury is the dominant religion. However, a glimmer of hope must remain.

[@maximiliansousa4299]

Really 6 million years is a lot. The way things are going, the boat is capable of sinking in less than 2 thousand years (the iceberg is identified but...). I still believe that we will be able to rebuild civilization after the disaster. Maybe learn from it.

[@pepper419]

@@barbossa70 Well, for equal rights for women we need to do something about religion.

[@altafvdd7140]

Very great speech. Thanks a zillion for it.

[@jebediahwolf1205]

A fantastic talk. Thanks very much.

[@aeosta]

Awesome presentation 👏👏

[@kerryburns6041]

There´s only one thing we can know for sure, and that is that we know nothing. And we can´t even be sure about that.

[@laszloiso777]

Once you know nothing, then nothing can hold you back!

[@rhonaannproxenos5243]

You know nothing jon snow😂😂

[@e.keanzabaelhornies7344]

You can't also be sure that you're not sure

[@despeoples1261]

People have known that the Earth is round, for ages. He's just repeating modern misbeliefs

[@robwestthanks4865]

I can neither confirm or deny

[@teejaye6226]

The idea that a person can take a picture of the entire earth with a handheld camera is really mindbending once you think about it.

[@wrecktifier1]

Especially when you find out that the picture of the earth from the moon was cropped in. Modern computer programs prove it. More amazing is that a person wouldn't die of radiation poisoning in hours if they were able to get beyond low earth orbit and go past the Van Allen belt. The Blue Marble and all the rest are CGI (admitted be the creator) "because it has to be".

[@rd-ch1on]

Its impossible to take a photo of an entire sphere

[@wrecktifier1]

@@rd-ch1on Even from the moon, because they would have to be there to take the picture.

[@tiffanykoehn5948]

The “picture” they supposedly took with hand held camera is awful clear for the early cameras they had back then.

[@drsiigabb9935]

@@tiffanykoehn5948 no pollution for a start. Plus I challenge you to take a picture yourself from the same spot. Ask Elon

[@bmsquad8983]

Great information and talk. He started off by having fun with it - captivating the audience then at 14:08 puts in the harsh reality.

[@ehrlich_]

Simp

[@bmsquad8983]

??

[@MUSIC4TRUTH....]

Everything you know is wrong, and this man is here to make sure it stays that way.

[@GoFyouSelfGrandma]

"Pride of intellectual intelligence is a fools nectar" - Me

[@eleanor4759]

😂😂😂

[@prem7676]

Perhaps you should have written "- Dustin Olsen" instead of "- Me" 😂😂😂 Anyways good quote👍👍

[@JuanHernandez-ry9dr]

Thanks for spreading your knowledge.

[@gethappycyclingcampingoutdoors]

One of the best Ted talks I've seen. ☮️☯️❤️

[@ehrlich_]

NOT! 🤮

[@maggiemargaret1412]

Quite the fun one~! Hooray~! SCIENCE

[@jeffpeff]

Truth is revealed when one moves from darkness, into light.

[@blvxkgxldimperialllc1677]

Light has a ending/dying point darkness doesn't.. dark well always when eventually... every where light goes darkness was there first... so which ones really means INTELLIGENTS

[@howerpower-gaming1666]

No, with investigation.

[@Asmr_kungfu]

@@blvxkgxldimperialllc1677very hard to forlorn due to construction problems.

[@pricepatrick644]

Still waiting for the "Everything" wrong part? How about a talk about our entire existence of how we have been lied to about everything, finance, science, engineering, medical, religion, energy, gravity, space.....etc.

[@MrTrashcan1]

Yes, his point is the exact opposite of what I thought it would be. And yes, the whole movement was to convince us NOT to believe our own senses.

[@fluentpiffle]

30 years ago, a far more plausible understanding of reality was achieved by Humans, Dr. Milo Wolff.. "Commendation from NASA for research work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the Earth's atmosphere and the Moon's surface for navigation of the Apollo spacecraft to the Moon.. Dr. Milo Wolff has found the structure of the electron consisting of two spherical quantum waves, one moving radially outward and another moving radially inward. The center of the waves is the nominal location of the electron 'particle'. These waves extend infinitely, like charge force. All 'particle' waves mix and contribute to each other, thus all matter of the universe is interrelated by this intimate connection between the fundamental 'particles' and the universe. The natural laws are a direct consequence of this Wave Structure of Matter (WSM), thus WSM underlies all of science." Ever since then there has been exponential growth in false cosmological ideas spreading over 'social media', and corruption generally throughout the world. The great problem for Humans is that we have not evolved in knowledge of our existence, and have therefore made up 'societies' from foundations of falsity and corruption. Understanding fundamental truth (how things exist) is key to living genuine lives. As Eric Lerner explained.. "History abundantly shows that people's views of the universe are bound up with their views of themselves and of their society. The debate in cosmology has implications far beyond the realm of science, for it is a question of how truth is known. How these questions are answered will shape not only the history of science, but the history of humanity." (Eric Lerner, 1992) So current 'science' is still being funded by agencies invested in old and therefore corrupt intention. Not to discover truth about reality, but to cover it, bury it, disguise it, ignore it..anything other than acknowledge even its existence.. The 'particle' physics paradigm represents old and illusory contradictions/hypocrisy, and wave physics will give us a chance of existing from a foundation of truth.. the wave structure of matter spaceandmotion

[@lloydus83]

Thought I may have stumbled onto a great video but your comment has confirmed I shouldn't waste my time, thank you

[@ehrlich_]

@@lloydus83 facts. Dude believes too many LIES.

[@tombass3288]

All I can say my friend if you didn't hear anything that wasn't true you're a very lost soul. And you need serious help because you have been heavily indoctrinated. Please read my comment about yours you might learn something.

[@terrirobertson6856]

A big problem we need to overcome is the selfishness that people feel comfortable with now. With unity comes our salvation

[@gulutaalan8845]

Indeed, but the world was successfully split in two by fake info and the conflict is now with the "revolutionary anti-everything", most of them illiterate who 30 years ago would not dare to lecture "science" in public. Big success of the dictatorship regimes, which will survive thanks to this trick.

[@81sergey81]

Hello from 2019!

[@PainCausingSamurai]

This man is a national treasure.

[@titusmccarthy]

Why can't he fix his teeth then?

[@vhawk1951kl]

If he is a national treasure, your nation is bankrupt

[@vacation_generation]

A very well put forward and sensible point of view. Here here.

[@heroblok6]

He has a big heart ❤️

[@lindseycorum9591]

Glad to see that he's honest enough to admit that scientists don't understand or even know what %95 of the universe is or how it works. Every generation thought they understood the universe but time proves them wrong and we are no different.

[@jsmariani4180]

Every generation gets things right AND wrong about the universe. I think our generation is way ahead. Scientists understand many, many aspects of the big picture. All, no. Why the universe should be as it is may never be answered.

[@jonisaacson9253]

When we learn something about the universe, it usually leads to a better understanding of what we don't know. Careful observation and a lot of deep thinking went into the realization that we don't know what is bending light in some parts of the universe and why the universe is expanding at an increasing rate.

[@michaelmorris1741]

That doesn't equate to 'we're currently wrong about 95% of what we now think we know'.

[@russellmillar7132]

And whenever we discover that science got something wrong, it's always because of more and better science.

[@markmengelkamp1392]

95%...

[@kysa3535]

"We can't even go to the moon for godsake" intresting

[@AikenBruce]

Astronaut Don Petit admitted they lost that technology. Fact is Stanley Kubrick staged the whole thing. The Earth is not a ball, nor is it moving. Prove it for yourself.

[@EvenStarLoveAnanda]

@@AikenBruce I proved it for myself that the Earth is a ball. All you have to do is watch a Sunset in different places on earth.

[@AikenBruce]

@@EvenStarLoveAnanda Yes a sunset does prove the Earth is flat. Notice the reflection of the light from the Sun off the face of the water. Of course this phenomenon which every person can observe is simply impossible if the water was curved. It is a simple experiment anyone can do. Shine a light on a curved surface and compare that to a flat surface. Also look at the sunset and notice how the light follows the Sun - this effect is impossible if the Sun were 93 million miles away. And yes you can measure the distance to the Sun using shadow angles and confirm it is relatively much closer than the followers of the Baal Earth religion claim. Notice also the crepuscular rays of the Sun. Another optical proof the Sun is above the clouds. Many people still subscribe to that ridiculous myth the Sun is a ball of gas in a vacuum - this of course is scientifically impossible.

[@checooke6583]

​@@AikenBruce "Many people still subscribe to that ridiculous myth the Sun is a ball of gas in a vacuum - this of course is scientifically impossible. " can you send me a link to the academic paper disproving that Myth please?

[@AikenBruce]

@@checooke6583 The fact you have not heard of the plethora of science, including scientific papers and observable and repeatable experiments, proving the Earth is stationary proves what? And what are you saying you think they don't exist? But yes there is no scientific papers proving the Earth is moving, nor is there any scientific experiment.

[@Jesusiluvyou]

This guy explains things very well

[@donald3565]

Thank you for the video really opened up my eyes

[@Eli-qr9hc]

I liked the unanswered question of how people are able to stand upright at the bottom of the world.

[@ricksanchez6411]

Gravity… lol

[@Eli-qr9hc]

@@ricksanchez6411 And headaches, lol

[@ednoled]

1.) The part folks missed right @7:47: "So have we figured it all out? Does that mean that everything we know now is right? Not quite." 2.) It's waaay too easy to tell who actually watched this.

[@andyc1909]

Took a long time to realise...thanks for sharing?

[@ninabey689]

This guy is good at presenting his ideas...

[@Bobjb999]

Bob's an excellent interviewer on his CBC Quirks & Quarks show. However, I've belatedly concluded his talents are likely somewhat more mundane than I once thought, rather than unique. I used to think he had the most amazing ability to spontaneously ask incredibly perceptive, relevant, intelligent questions of his scientist guests! I still admire the quality of his questions, but it belatedly dawned on me most of his questions are likely pre-prepared, not spontaneous, and that he already knows answers to most of them. Bob and/or CBC producers likely read the scientists' published studies, identify their most important and interesting aspects, and then write questions that will help ensure the scientists address those key points. In fact, it's very likely they also ask the scientists to send CBC lists of questions ahead of time Bob should ask, whose answers will best elucidate the scientists' work. I've learned this is fairly standard practice among talk shows that have hosts asking guests questions. They will have the guest provide them with a list of questions ahead of time. In my naivety, I used to think Bob demonstrated spontaneous brilliance with his questions, rather than demonstrating careful, diligent, professional preparation. It's in the planning, folks.

[@petergruben3649]

Hermesacat you can tell it's scripted when the scientist tells bob "that's a great question " to plant in our head that it is a great question so we follow the predicted programming to accept anything the white coats say in this age of scientific dictatorship. Hope that helps

[@MichaelWilliams-ph4ri]

They also tend to pick their scientists so that the discenters don't get air time.

[@jonisaacson9253]

@@MichaelWilliams-ph4ri There is a debate between flat earthers and scientists on KZbin. It's pretty painful to watch, but shows how flat earthers (and, I would say, climate deniers) think.

[@rd-ch1on]

@@jonisaacson9253 Who exactly is denying climate?

[@aliasifchowdhury3419]

Insights about life is an evolutionary blessing......all those who think this video is a lie....they see lies because they see themselves in front of the mirror of illusions...they see what their greed and other base instincts want them to see so that they don't have to think up alternatives...science and philosophy are both important forms of education.....and education is not something anyone can finish....life is a circle...not a straight line with beginning and end....we have to know the processes that makes the circle of life function so that we know what life is not what our base instincts say it is

[@dhevanandakistachintha8334]

Best ever clip I have ever seen. South Africa....dc

[@reneehoulihan6127]

Wow I'm so happy that people are on to these types of lies. Thank you to all you who are waking up!!

[@anitahyche1]

I thought the first species to change atmosphere were the single called organisms in oceans which made oxygen.

[@xVenom0us]

Yea I thought about the same lol.

[@anominousanonymous9344]

@Chris Russell what if they do care but we don't have the intellect to understand the potential of those single cells. You know, someone did a 7 year study on plants and the root systems of these plants started growing toward the sound of water... Which wasn't even water, it was just the recording of a river nearby.

[@viverntahl2541]

@An Ominous Anonymous : which proves how gulible plants are. @Anita Hyche : thanks for your comment, avoided me putting in that same data. I was so triggered when he said that we were the first species to transform the atmosphere... weird coming from a scientist. I bet he keeps mailing TED to remove that comment.

[@daro8117]

Viverntahl he said change the chemistry of the atmosphere, plants and humans are different, he just used the wrong word to say “mammal-animal”

[@scotmagann1147]

This moron refers to CO2 as if it were pollution, but is the second most important constituent of the atmosphere (behind oxygen). The entire biosphere (including humans) depends on the transformation of CO2 into carbohydrates, and contrary to the peer pressured review literature, we are perilously close to the MINIMUM concentration of CO2 required for photosynthesis.

[@arep1030]

And what if all he said was wrong? Did he ever question that himself?

[@SuperBoyz2men]

yes

[@darrenlind3088]

I would love to talk with him about what the Bible says about the earth and how it was made. Seriously I think it it would be fun and enlightening for both of us

[@annieligan3081]

I love this expression as we penetrate our ignorance & emmerge into enlightement .. What if evrything we know is wrong ! Absolutely true .. agree wt him , he’s a funny TEACHER .! ♥️😍🇳🇴♥️

[@hindsight2022]

the average temp on Earth is 17 ° C the space around d the Earth outerspace that is to say is about -270°C this difference is huge and there should be a way to exploit this differential as an energy source . conversely the perfect vaccumm of space is another potential exploit that can be tapped to make energy

[@CAMlCAZl]

the mass per volume(of space) ratio would be so small that it wouldnt really make sense to try. Theres only about 6000 atoms per cubic metre in outer space which we can use to get energy. And even with 100% efficiency it would net much less energy than is needed just to stay operational.

[@hindsight2022]

camicazi I disagree. we've witnessed the power a single atom can unleash . with the atom bomb . not that that's the means to the end I would exploit.

[@CAMlCAZl]

then what would you do? cause all (known) methods that convert temperature differences into other forms of energy wouldnt make sense to do in this scenario. Change in energy for lowering or heightening temperature of an atom is MUCH less than the energy from fusion/fission from the same atoms. For perspective. 1 gram of hydrogen nets about 1 gigawatt from fusion processes. but gathering 1 gram of it in space would require 5.9747022e+26 cubic meters, and this is if every single atom in space was hydrogen. This is more than 1000 x bigger volume than the earth. And this is for fusion, not harvesting energy from temperature difference Do you see the problems with getting net energy from this yet?

[@dja613x]

Once man/woman work out how to create useable energy from nuclear fusion our energy problems will be solved

[@buckhorncortez]

@@dja613x And they'll figure that out about the time flying cars are in common use...

[@eepruls]

He's such a great presenter. Great talk. Very engaging.

[@blvxkgxldimperialllc1677]

Very wrong

[@garypugh1153]

Im 70 and a pilot and love science... all adults i've ever talked too in live. Alot ! ....people DO NOT even know the sun is a star. I have to tell them. They haven't EVER thought about what it is....it just makes light 🇺🇸

[@John-uz2we]

My bottom line on this discussion is that we would be better served to prove that we are as smart as the lecture suggests and embrace the science. Life here on our home planet is our top priority before we take any more steps to reach for the stars. That's what the invitation to the party is about, finding a way to unite a common core to establish longevity here on mother earth. He says we can do that and I want to be as optimistic. If we can, will we?

[@gulutaalan8845]

I'd like, too... but with this para-science sect created by dictatorship regimes with a whole "virtual world" of fake info, it won't be easy.

[@1allstarman]

The human race will be lucky to survive another 100 years .

[@TheGreatAlan75]

Wrong

[@chrisgraham2904]

Unfortunately, most people on the planet seem to be happy with that, since they won't be here by then.

[@mehulbhatt747]

Wow! That was a profound talk.

[@simborodach1956]

Amazing thank you so much

[@letsplayguitar2051]

Bob certainly could recognize that we always seem to find a way and we do continually advance knowledge and technology. You must understand the journey will leave too many in its wake if its not controlled. Truly educate our society and then they can get on board for a faster ride. weeeeeee

[@lordofooo4386]

"In nature, the things that burn the brightest are the shortest lived." You mean like the stars...?

[@steventenbears9939]

thanks for making me spit out my coffee... lololol

[@get2dachoppa18]

Their death is orders of magnitude brighter, but only lasts an extremely small fraction of the lifetime of the star.

[@lemer1463]

I thought the same! The statement is simply untrue. He has some good ideas but overall, its a poorly constructed.

[@thegreathusain]

@@lemer1463 no, actually the brighter the star burns, the faster it goes off, that's why red/white dwarfs will be the last stars around when everything dies.

[@lemer1463]

@@thegreathusain the faster something burns, the more magnitude it has. which means it loses its mass in doing so and getting smaller. Im trying to relate that to time if that makes sense as it seems to me that stars burn the most but live longer than the surrounding objects (planets etc) as due to gravity it could be very likely that the surrounding objects find their death by falling into the stars orbit.

[@TiffanyPoirier]

Can't wait to share this talk with my students! I've been a fan of Bob McDonald and "Quirks and Quarks" for years and to see this talk really inspired me to commit to some changes this year. I'll see you in 6 million years--we can do it! :)

[@davecrosland2892]

Tiffany Poirier wish i was your student

[@HerrrOttoFlick]

Correct his numerous mistakes.

[@caryswansong2197]

That was so AWESOME!!!! Thank you, wow when do we wake up?

[@Asmr_kungfu]

I guess never

[@jackjackson3356]

Brilliant Bob McDonald !!!!!

[@AFuller2020]

"Everything" is a huge generalization, never go full generalization, never.

[@kyrieeleison9344]

Very funny!! ; {)

[@enriquesanchez2001]

"never go full generalization" ? Never say NEVER!

[@citizenY]

Nothing is as boring as a superlative laced thought.

[@mauricehammond2062]

Yer NEVER

[@BillFromTheHill100]

Don't look at me...ever!

[@randycooper3940]

And there is the Sphynx....been covered in sand for ..who knows how long, and when we dug it out of the sand ..what did we find? That, before it was covered in sand, it had been suffering from rainfall erosion (for another very long time). There is no doubt that the Sphynx has "lived through" ENORMOUS "climate change" ..none of it brought on by "man".

[@vivilonrane1330]

ok but current man made climate change is still real

[@Sparkey4646]

Fantastic talk

[@tonybeverage8471]

What if everything you were taught is wrong. But then he agrees with everything we've been taught since grade school that most of us have already figured out wrong.

[@growbydoing7290]

Yup he’s a moron.

[@buttonwizard6644]

Like what 😂🤣

[@mattmcgill1976]

Love the talk, but just gotta say, we are NOT the first species to change the chemistry of the atmosphere. How do you think we got so much oxygen in our atmosphere??? It's called plant life! Algae, etc... Other than than, yes, great talk. :)

[@DriscolDevil]

This guy lecturing us on science didn't know that plants produce oxygen, but otherwise it was OK...

[@motn2017]

I think he meant we're the first to drastically change the atmosphere in a very very negative way. Unlike plants that provide positive chemicals that make earth MORE habitable

[@austinjohnson6049]

Same could be said about the super volcanos that took us out of the ice age...

[@vinnievalentine421]

Plants produce oxygen??? Source please

[@astrohardy]

@@motn2017 The introduction of oxygen into our atmosphere was VERY negative for the organisms at that time. O2 was very toxic for nearly all of them. At a quite fast pace evolution had to establish complex mechanisms to detoxify reactive oxygen species (ROS). Those organisms failing to do so were doomed or had to retreat to habitats free of oxygen.

[@MacVicar4]

A gem of a person that I'm proud to say is Canadian. This speech should be the introduction to every science class.

[@rvnmedic1968]

No, he's the same as Bill Nye, "The Science Guy". He's a great speaker, humorous and captures your attention. But he's talking political science not true science. Read my post for my rationale.

[@Valican11]

@@rvnmedic1968 True. He's clearly a smart guy and is very charismatic, but at the end of the day he is pushing an agenda, which in this case is global warming

[@Skeptic2006]

This man made my day. Well night since all I do is absorb information non stop. Really inspiring talk! I wish I could do something more to solve these problems. Maybe I will.

[@badgerstate3451]

Of course the kids would have to go to the corner bar where Mr. McDonald spends most of his time.

[@janetmiller2160]

To each entrant to his/her 6th year of education.

[@devinkamalakis6840]

I know I'm late to the game,but really enjoyed the talk...

[@grantbartley483]

Good to have a medium-term perspective

[@decembersunita]

His mother will be so proud of him. 😀

[@BigFred458]

An acre of a solar farm covered with panels, destroys the acre of land it is placed over. One acre for one acre. It sounds small, and perhaps it is, but placing a solar panel between the sun and the ground, essentially changes the one acre of ground near 100%. It removes or reduces the plants which grow and it deprives that acre of normal rainfall. The panels will concentrate the ran along run off panels which can lead to MORE not less soil runoff. It is easy to make GRAND PRONOUNCEMENTS, but the reality of them are different.

[@Mills354]

Bambi Able OR what if we just place the panels on the roofs of houses and buildings which already cover thousands of acres of land?

[@russellwiley7869]

@@Mills354 or replace the roadways with solar collecting panels instead of asphalt and concrete? The technology already exists to do it.

[@o-k9267]

If we wanted to, meaning if there was a global agreement, we could easily cover one or two huge deserts with solar panels, providing the energy for the whole world. The truth is, we already have a solution for every problem facing mankind, except stupidity.

[@GaniEmi]

that is why he stated that we are bad at "catching" the energy from the sun, what if the panels were 10 times as efficient? it would take 10 times less space for the same energy we can collect today, saving up to 90% of the space, so that the ground doesnt need to be affected.

[@ChasingChad]

@Scott Derry for the greater good trillions of taxpayers money would make up for it. The reason nobody is acting on it is because humans are naturally selfish, we dont want to preserve for the future, rather burn up what we have now for ourselves.

[@GaryHaase]

Outstanding.

[@Cybernaut551]

Thanks!

[@jackjackson721]

You are a perfect unique beautiful Soul, created from Pure Love. No matter what hardships you're going through, you have the strength to conquer all because there is nothing more powerful than the Divine Love that makes up your true Self.

[@blueflowers6738]

Jack attack

[@Daysed.and.Konfuzed]

Do you know what dark matter and dark energy have in common with the double slit experiment? When you take a good look at what is too small or too big, you can see the flaws in the simulation. And what creeps me out is the possibility that the ones running the experiment may be thinking "It's that time again. They've become advanced enough to see what they shouldn't. Let's reboot."

[@thierrydebrunhoff5869]

Ooo spooky :O

[@bvictory5698]

Stuff like this always makes me think of “they live”

[@TK0_23_]

What?

[@ericscaillet2232]

@@bvictory5698 the hills have eyes..

[@A.ICraft]

That is what Asian parents do all time, politicians and celebrities etc,, they want us to know but they don't but they do but they don't 😌

[@stevengbaffoni7704]

Well said!

[@josephhatfield2886]

Never forget, we are all in this.....alone!

[@milesruby3271]

Wrong

[@gerrys6265]

He is talking more about what we don't know than about whether the things we think we know are true...or not. Science is often built on previous knowledge, so if we build on something that we get wrong (but don't know it is wrong) then from that moment on science is an illusion as well and we are not in the reality we think we are. .

[@luis-alvarez929]

the title should be : "Everything we are told is wrong" its a sad true

[@briguy677]

Sorry, Luis, but you fail to understand how science works. It is not about opinion but about evidence. It's about observing the universe/reality, creating hypotheses based on those observations and then testing them. No hypothesis can be proven to be true or false since we lack a 100% understanding of how the universe/reality works. We have to muddle along gathering knowledge as we go and must be prepared to toss aside information that is proven wrong through experimentation. The title is accurate as we can't prove anything we know to be right but only proven wrong based on experimentation. It is frustrating to not have unassailable knowledge but the scientific process (and it is a process) is the best way for us to figure out how the universe/reality works.

[@luis-alvarez929]

@@briguy677 So explain to me how when scientists followed the scientific method and their findings were 100 % accurate other scientists or theorists negated the results based only on believes and philosophical impossibilities? Im talking about the Michaelson Morley experiment negated by a theorist Einstein and inventing his relativity theory in the process. So yes , everything we are told is based only on who is in charge and who will benefit from the specific findings. Its a sad true but we have been told only what the people in power want us to know and no more.

[@briguy677]

@@luis-alvarez929 You have proven with this post that you really don't understand how science works. The Michelson-Morley experiment failed to find evidence for their predictions that there was an aether permeating space which allowed light waves to pass through the vacuum. No one, including Einstein, negated anything regarding the undertaking. In fact, it was more along the opposite lines. Michelson and Morley's failure was evidence that the theory of relativity was correct. The scientific process wouldn't work if it was based on an argument from authority. In fact, it's the complete reverse. Scientists are constantly trying to prove one another wrong, not because they are dicks, but rather because they want to discover evidence for what is true. By the way, the Michelson-Morley experiment has been repeated a number of times (the latest in 2006) with equipment far more fine-tuned than in the original experiment and every time it has failed to produce positive results. This continues to support Einstein's theory of relativity is most likely correct.

[@stuartfoster7582]

Briguy A lot of Theories out their that can Never be proved !

[@briguy677]

@@stuartfoster7582 Theories can't be "proved" to be "true" the point is they have yet to be proven to be wrong. The idea is to predict how/why something works and then find evidence that either proves the prediction wrong or finds evidence that upholds the prediction.. Even if a prediction holds up now doesn't mean it's true or necessarily correct as future tests or evidence could prove it wrong.

[@babeeshmohanan7686]

Yes! Everything we know is only electronically. There are many things beyond electronics. Millions of ways are yet to be discovered.

[@scottbarber9374]

"We are the first species to actually change the chemistry of the atmosphere" Cyanobacteria: "And I took offense to that"

[@gulutaalan8845]

You're right. Still, inducing the "big oxidation", cyanobacteria suffered a mass extinction event :-) Should that be a lesson?

[@jaylac1]

He is brilliant. I smiled from start to finish and laughed so hard at the space stations view 😂

[@rwdyer2263]

I like how he talks about the animation video as animation because that’s all it is they can’t get a real video of earth like that

[@coryhoggatt7691]

The only good point he made was that we know today that most of the science we believed throughout history was wrong. What reason do we have for thinking that NOW we’re right?

[@rpark8188]

"The more and more I get to know the more I realise how little I know", so the problem is the people who thinking they know. Nothing is constant except change how do you change while remaining constant ?

[@Asmr_kungfu]

Go into politics and try to change the system from within. Very hard,almost futile

[@eddiediesel9035]

"6 million years ago, somebody but we don't know who, had an idea to change our locomotion." Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm sure it was Walt Disney.

[@briansymmes7917]

Stromatolites changed the atmosphere too, and we should thank them for it.

[@mclarsen61]

Yes, and in some millions of years some strange animal will thank us for what we did, now... But we will not be there to see it... becurse we did it 🤐😴😜

[@coreybarnes1802]

Excellent gag with the globe to the face about the ISS, it actually made me laugh out loud!

[@halweilbrenner9926]

One of my pelvic joints has deevolved. Explaining complex subjects simply is the proof of understanding.