Alison Kondler shares how she learned to mimic bird sounds and identify birds by ear, beginning with a childhood conversation with a Western Meadowlark. Blending humor, mimicry, and imagination, she traces her path from mastering water drop and mouth sounds as a kid, to performing them on stage as a stand-up comic, and eventually returning to nature as an Audubon Master Birder. In this TEDx Talk, she introduces creative mnemonic techniques that make it easier to recognize and remember bird calls through birding by ear. If you’ve ever wondered how to identify birds by their songs and sounds, this is your invitation to listen differently. Alison Kondler is an Audubon Master Birder, naturalist, producer, and content creator passionate about helping others connect with birds through their incredible sounds. Growing up on the prairie, she began mimicking bird calls as a child. Later, she took this talent to the stage as a stand-up comic, blending humor with nature.Alison specializes in bird sound identification, using mnemonic techniques tailored to different learning styles. She also leads expert birding field trips and teaches brand growth on vertical social media platforms. With a dynamic mix of education, conservation, and entertainment, she inspires audiences to appreciate and protect the avian world. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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- 7:22Fake or Just AI? How to Spot the Truth in a Digital World | Meri Bertram & Aimée Goos | TEDxBerlinFrom viral videos to wild conspiracy theories, AI is making it harder than ever to tell what is real. Students Meri Bertram and Aimée Goos explore how fake news is created, why people believe it, and how simple strategies like checking reliability and logic can help fight back against misinformation and make sense of what we see online. Meri Bertram, 17, is a final-year international school student in Berlin, currently completing her Abitur. Raised in a trilingual Finnish-German household, she has developed a deep interest in languages, cultures, and environmental issues. At school, she is actively involved as a class representative on the student council and takes part in a wide range of extracurricular activities. She also engages in educational trips, internships, and social initiatives that broaden her perspective beyond academics. After graduation, she plans to take a gap year to travel, volunteer, and gain hands-on experience before beginning her university studies. While still exploring potential fields of study, she is driven by curiosity, a love of learning, and ambitious goals.Aimee Goos, 17, is completing her Abitur in Berlin after growing up in Munich and Amsterdam. Moving to Berlin sparked her passion for medicine and space exploration. She has represented German youth at the excitingEDU conference, discussed the future of AI in education, and participated in the POCACITO podcast, raising awareness of climate change’s impact on the Global South. Aimee has participated in BERMUN I, BERMUN II, and BOLMUN, expanding her knowledge of diplomacy and passion for solving global issues. She was a BioOlympiade finalist, and to gain hands-on experience she completed an internship at the Deutsche Luft- und Raumfahrt, as well as joining ProTechnikale and TUMO, learning Python and exploring STEM fields. As a class representative and student council member, she advocates for her peers. Fluent in German and English, Aimee is learning Latin and Spanish, driven by curiosity for both human and cosmic systems. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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