Andrew Parker studied marine biology and physics at the Australian Museum and Macquarie University, and then moved to Oxford University. After founding the "Light Switch Hypothesis" - that the Big Bang of evolution was triggered by the evolution of the eye - he now works on biomimetics, copying good design found in nature. This includes hummingbird colours for paints, non-reflective surfaces on insect eyes for solar panels, and water-capture devices in Namibian beetles for collecting clean drinking water in Africa.

He was selected as a 'Scientist for the New Century' by The Royal Institution (London) and wrote the popular science books "In the Blink of an Eye" and "Seven Deadly Colours" (Simon & Schuster). Today he is a Research Leader at The Natural History Museum, London and Green Templeton College, Oxford University.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx