# How simple ideas lead to scientific discoveries

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: Adam Savage
- Year: 2011
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy and space, History, Teaching and learning
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/adam_savage_how_simple_ideas_lead_to_scientific_discoveries)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Adam Savage walks through two spectacular examples of profound scientific discoveries that came from simple, creative methods anyone could have followed -- Eratosthenes' calculation of the Earth's circumference around 200 BC and Hippolyte Fizeau's measurement of the speed of light in 1849.

## Lectures

1. [How simple ideas lead to scientific discoveries](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/adam_savage_how_simple_ideas_lead_to_scientific_discoveries/80784399189e), 8 min (TED's player)