Regular readers know what a fan I am of TED talks. The site is one of the best educational resources on the internet. This talk from 2006 is a perfect example. Hans Rosling, after working for years as a doctor in Africa, now lectures on "global health" at one of Sweden's leading universities. He uses graphics to show statistical trends in the most powerful way, exploding myths as he does so. For me the best moment is when he explodes the large bubble representing Africa into its component parts, showing the huge difference between Sierra Leone at the poor extreme and Mauritius at the rich, healthy extreme (having negotiated international agreements that allowed it to trade more freely). Watch the whole thing. His enthusiasm is so impressive and I guarantee you will have a pre-conception shattered.

...and for your further delectation, here is the sequel from the following year (with a surprise ending)