Ideas to Change the World

Funny piece in the London Observer on the recent TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Conference, called the G8 of the mind, with a stated aim this year of finding, "Ideas Big Enough to Change the World."  What's the Big Idea?

According to the reporter, this is how the scientists see tomorrow's world. 

1. Climate change is going to happen, whether we like it or not. We should start adapting to life in the tropics and use the money currently spent on well-meaning but largely pointless Kyoto endeavours on something else.
2. The solution to disease in the developing world could be found in a drinking straw that purifies contaminated water. See www.worldchanging.com.
3. Aid doesn't work. At a debate on how the $50 billion for Africa agreed by the G8 nations ought to be spent, the single most applauded idea was that it should be given to the developed world in order to pay off French farmers etc and then abolish the trade tariffs. Ashraf Ghani pointed out that he managed to prise $27.5bn out of the West for Afghanistan but what he needs is to be able to sell his country's products.
4. Aubrey de Grey hopes to bring an end to ageing. But first, he needs £100 million a year in funding (see www.gen.cam.ac.uk/sens/index.html). However, according to Kari Stefansson of Decode Genetics, this could bring about 'global catastrophe'.
5. Buy carbon. It could earn you a 30 per cent conscience-free return. See www.climatechangecapital.com

Or you could just go to TED itself.