TED Talks are a disaster in general. Lots of charlatans and bad science. People should treat them aa entertainment, not as a reputable, fact-checked publication of science.
That paper towel guy was right on the money though and I use way less paper towels and use them more effectively now.
No science required, just an old dude who had an idea he wanted to share. That's what TED should be, not anything authoritative or declarative. That is indeed their slogan "ideas worth spreading", they should really stick to that.
I have always assumed that they are done for financial gain. Some are entertaining, but you have 18 minutes. How deep can you go? Isn't it more lucrative to use it to push a few talking points?
