There are hundreds of TEDTalks available online for viewing at TED.com. Set out below are some of our favourites. Pour yourself a drink (or a cup of tea or coffee) and take a look. You’ll understand why we feel excited to be charged with the job of sourcing and presenting comparable talent from Sydney and throughout Australia.

Jill Bolte Taylor’s stroke of insight

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor got a research opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: she had a massive stroke, and watched as her brain functions — motion, speech, self-awareness — shut down one by one. An astonishing story that has become a powerful voice for brain recovery.

Sir Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

Al Gore on averting climate change

With the same humor and humanity he exuded in An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore spells out 15 ways that individuals can address climate change immediately, from buying a hybrid to inventing a new, hotter “brand name” for global warming.

The best stats you’ve ever seen

You’ve never seen data presented like this. With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, Swedish statistics guru Hans Rosling debunks myths about the so-called “developing world” by looking at the bigger picture of social and economic development using some remarkable software.

Benjamin Zander on music and passion

Since 1979, Benjamin Zander has been the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic. Ben has two infectious passions: classical music, and helping us all realise our untapped love for it — and by extension, our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences and new connections.

Philippe Starck thinks deep on design

Designer Philippe Starck — with no pretty slides to show — spends 18 minutes reaching for the very roots of the question “Why design?” Listen carefully for one perfect mantra for all of us, genius or not.

Elizabeth Gilbert on genius

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Love Pray, muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius. It’s a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

Are we in control of our own decisions?

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely, the author of Predictably Irrational, uses classic visual illusions and his own counterintuitive (and sometimes shocking) research findings to show how we’re not as rational as we think when we make decisions.

Venezuelan Youth Orchestra

The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra contains the best high school musicians from Venezuela’s life-changing music program, El Sistema. Led here by Gustavo Dudamel, they play Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10, 2nd movement, and Arturo Márquez’ Danzón No. 2.

Ze Frank’s nerdcore comedy

Let’s finish with some TED style comedy. Performer and web toymaker Ze Frank delivers a hilarious nerdcore standup routine, then tells us what he’s seriously passionate about: helping people create and interact using simple, addictive web tools.