TED Talks Science and Medicine

By TED

Science & Medicine

What's TED Talks Science and Medicine about?

Some of the world's greatest scientists, doctors and medical researchers share their discoveries and visions onstage at the TED conference, TEDx events and partner events around the world. You can also download these and many other videos free on TED.com, with an interactive English transcript and subtitles in up to 80 languages. TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.

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Are life-saving medicines h...

05.25.2023

Could the next wonder drug be somewhere in Canada's snowy north? Take a trip to this beautiful, frigid landscape as chemist Normand Voyer explores the mysterious molecular treasures found in plants thriving in the cold. These scarcely investigated organisms could ...

TED Talks Science and Medicine episodes:

05.25.2023 Are life-saving medicines hiding in the world's coldest places? \| Normand Voyer Could the next wonder drug be somewhere in Canada's snowy north? Take a trip to this beautiful, frigid landscape as chemist Normand Voyer explores the mysterious molecular treasures found in plants thriving in the cold. These scarcely investigated organisms could ...
04.11.2023 What to do when there's a polar bear in your backyard \| Alysa McCall As Arctic ice melts, polar bears are being forced on land -- and they're hungry. With the apex predators frequently turning to human junkyards for a snack, northern towns have had to get creative in order to keep both their ...
03.06.2023 The fantastically weird world of photosynthetic sea slugs \| Michael Middlebrooks Meet the fantastically colorful and astonishingly adaptable sea slugs that found a way to photosynthesize (or create energy from sunlight) like plants. Diving deep into these often overlooked creatures, invertebrate zoologist Michael Middlebrooks introduces the solar-powered slugs that lost their ...
01.19.2023 Where does your sense of self come from? A scientific look \| Anil Ananthaswamy Our memories and bodies give us clues about who we are, but what happens when this guidance shifts? In this mind-bending talk, science writer Anil Ananthaswamy shares how the experiences of "altered selves" -- resulting from schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, foreign limb ...
01.18.2023 Can we feed ourselves without devouring the planet? \| George Monbiot Farming is the worst thing humanity has ever done to the planet, says journalist George Monbiot. What's more: the global food system could be heading toward collapse. Detailing the technological solutions we need to radically reshape food production -- from ...
01.06.2023 How to harness the ancient partnership between forests and fungi \| Colin Averill If we want to better understand the environment and combat climate change, we need to look deep underground, where diverse microscopic fungal networks mingle with tree roots to form symbiotic partnerships, says microbiologist Colin Averill. As we learn more about ...
11.14.2022 The wheat field that could change the world \| Guntur V. Subbarao Crop physiologist Guntur V. Subbarao and his team have developed an antibiotic-infused strain of wheat that naturally combats harmful, fertilizer-eating bacteria -- a "monster" contributor to climate change. Learn more about how this breakthrough could once again revolutionize agriculture, increasing ...
10.28.2022 A virus-resistant organism -- and what it could mean for the future \| Jason W. Chin What if we could use the power of DNA to create a sustainable, circular economy? In a talk about breakthrough science, synthetic biologist Jason W. Chin describes his team's work rewriting the genetic blueprint of cells to create a virus-resistant ...
09.08.2022 How green hydrogen could end the fossil fuel era \| Vaitea Cowan As climate change accelerates, finding clean alternatives to fossil fuels is more urgent than ever. Social entrepreneur Vaitea Cowan believes green hydrogen is the answer. Watch as she shares her team's work mass producing electrolyzers -- devices that separate water ...
09.06.2022 A giant Jurassic sea dragon, unearthed \| Dean R. Lomax Among the dinosaurs, giant sea dragons roamed the ancient ocean. Millions of years later, paleontologist Dean R. Lomax and his team freed the remains of one of these colossal creatures from the Earth. Settle in to learn about the once-in-a-lifetime ...
08.24.2022 How we're reverse engineering the human brain in the lab \| Sergiu P. Pasca Neuroscientist Sergiu P. Pasca has made it his life's work to understand how the human brain builds itself -- and what makes it susceptible to disease. In a mind-blowing talk laden with breakthrough science, he shows how his team figured ...
07.25.2022 The future of fashion -- made from mushrooms \| Dan Widmaier Your closet is likely full of all kinds of materials -- leather, cotton, nylon and polyester, to name a few -- that contribute to fashion's sustainability crisis. Biomaterials investigator Dan Widmaier explains how we could look to nature for sustainable ...
07.11.2022 The search for the invisible matter that shapes the universe \| Chanda Prescod-Weinstein The universe that we know, with its luminous stars and orbiting planets, is largely made up of elements we can't actually see -- like dark energy and dark matter -- and therefore don't fully understand. Theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes ...
06.07.2022 The brain science (and benefits) of ASMR \| Craig Richard A curious, quiet revolution of sound has taken over the internet. Physiologist Craig Richard explains the soothing brain science of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), tracking its rise in popularity and why this fascinating phenomenon is so relaxing to millions ...
05.23.2022 Humanity's search for cosmic truth and poetic beauty \| Maria Popova Linking together the histories of Henrietta Swan Leavitt, Edwin Hubble and Tracy K. Smith, poet and thinker Maria Popova crafts an astonishing story of how humanity came to see the edge of the observable universe. (Followed by an animated excerpt ...
04.27.2022 How mRNA medicine will change the world \| Melissa J. Moore The secret behind medicine that uses messenger RNA (or mRNA) is that it "teaches" our bodies how to fight diseases on our own, leading to groundbreaking treatments for COVID-19 and, potentially one day, cancer, the flu and other ailments that ...
04.22.2022 We can make COVID-19 the last pandemic \| Bill Gates Building a pandemic-free future won't be easy, but Bill Gates believes that we have the tools and strategies to make it possible -- now we just have to fund them. In this forward-looking talk, he proposes a multi-specialty Global Epidemic ...
04.06.2022 5 promising factors propelling climate action \| Gabriel Kra Given the scale of the challenge, the conversation around climate change is often tinged with doom and gloom. But climate tech investor Gabriel Kra thinks we need to reframe the crisis as a source of tremendous opportunity. He offers five ...
03.17.2022 The deep sea's medicinal secrets \| Sam Afoullouss Under the sea, untold wonders await in the form of untapped medicinal potential. Chemist Sam Afoullouss dives into the science behind natural remedies, explaining why the ocean's great (and still largely unexplored) biodiversity is ideal for deriving and inspiring future ...
03.03.2022 What seaweed and cow burps have to do with climate change \| Ermias Kebreab Scientists have long known that cows are a huge source of the greenhouse gas methane, contributing up to four percent of emissions globally. But could there be a way to make cattle less -- ahem -- gassy? Animal scientist Ermias ...
02.02.2022 The incredible cancer-detecting potential of photoacoustic imaging \| Lei Li Could we use the energy from light and sound to detect disease? TED Fellow Lei Li shares the exciting promise of photoacoustic imaging: an affordable, painless and accurate method of converting light into sound in order to create high-resolution images ...
01.24.2022 Could we treat Alzheimer's with light and sound? \| Li-Huei Tsai What if we could use brain waves to treat Alzheimer's? Professor and neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai details a promising new approach to artificially stimulate gamma brain waves using light and sound therapy, to increase connectivity and synchrony and delay the onset ...
01.24.2022 Are brain waves the secret to treating Alzheimer's? \| Li-Huei Tsai What if we could use brain waves to treat Alzheimer's? Professor and neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai details a promising new approach to artificially stimulate gamma brain waves using light and sound therapy, to increase connectivity and synchrony and delay the onset ...
01.10.2022 How biochar removes CO2 from the air -- and helps farmers thrive \| Axel Reinaud Biochar is a kind of charcoal that removes CO2 from the atmosphere, helping yield healthy crops and even producing abundant renewable energy in the form of electricity as it's made. This exciting climate change fighter is ready for scaling now. ...
01.10.2022 How biochar removes CO2 from the air -- and helps farmers thrive \| Axel Reinaud Biochar is a kind of charcoal that removes CO2 from the atmosphere, helping yield healthy crops and even producing abundant renewable energy in the form of electricity as it's made. This exciting climate change fighter is ready for scaling now. ...
12.17.2021 A king cobra bite -- and a scientific discovery \| Gowri Shankar A king cobra has enough venom to kill 10 people in a single bite. Recounting his near-death experience after being bitten by one of these majestic yet deadly snakes, conservationist and TED Fellow Gowri Shankar shares the epiphany he had ...
12.17.2021 A king cobra bite -- and a scientific discovery \| Gowri Shankar A king cobra has enough venom to kill 10 people in a single bite. Recounting his near-death experience after being bitten by one of these majestic yet deadly snakes, conservationist and TED Fellow Gowri Shankar shares the epiphany he had ...
11.23.2021 The science of extreme weather — and how to reduce the harm \| Al Roker, Al Gore, David Biello and Latif Nasser Floods, droughts, heat waves and cold blasts -- why is the weather becoming more extreme? Environmentalist and "America's weatherman" Al Roker discusses the link between climate change and disruptions to weather patterns worldwide, followed by a conversation between Nobel laureate ...
11.23.2021 The science of extreme weather -- and how to reduce the harm \| Al Roker, Al Gore, David Biello and Latif Nasser Floods, droughts, heat waves and cold blasts -- why is the weather becoming more extreme? Environmentalist and "America's weatherman" Al Roker discusses the link between climate change and disruptions to weather patterns worldwide, followed by a conversation between Nobel laureate ...
11.03.2021 The problem of vaccine spoilage -- and a smart sensor to help \| Nithya Ramanathan Refrigerators do much more than store your groceries -- they're also vital to preserving and distributing vaccines. Illustrating the realities of (and threats to) global vaccine supply chains, technologist and TED Fellow Nithya Ramanathan describes how smart sensors placed in ...
11.03.2021 The problem of vaccine spoilage -- and a smart sensor to help \| Nithya Ramanathan Refrigerators do much more than store your groceries -- they're also vital to preserving and distributing vaccines. Illustrating the realities of (and threats to) global vaccine supply chains, technologist and TED Fellow Nithya Ramanathan describes how smart sensors placed in ...
10.19.2021 How we could eat real meat without harming animals \| Isha Datar What if you could eat chicken nuggets without harming a chicken? It's possible through "cellular agriculture," says Isha Datar. In a talk about cutting-edge science, she explains how this new means of food production makes it possible to eat meat ...
10.06.2021 The brain science of obesity \| Mads Tang-Christensen Your belly and your brain speak to each other, says obesity researcher Mads Tang-Christensen. Offering scientific proof that obesity is a disease influenced by genetics and the environment, he introduces a molecule discovered in both the brain and gut that ...
10.06.2021 The brain science of obesity \| Mads Tang-Christensen Your belly and your brain speak to each other, says obesity researcher Mads Tang-Christensen. Offering scientific proof that obesity is a disease influenced by genetics and the environment, he introduces a molecule discovered in both the brain and gut that ...
09.20.2021 Planet City -- a sci-fi vision of an astonishing regenerative future \| Liam Young Get transported on a stunningly rendered, sci-fi safari through Planet City: an imaginary metropolis of 10 billion people, from the brain of director and architect Liam Young. Explore the potential outcomes of an urban space designed to house the entire ...
09.08.2021 A sci-fi vision of life in 2041 \| Chen Qiufan Sci-fi writer Chen Qiufan doesn't fear a dystopian future. Instead, he believes developments in artificial intelligence will make all of our lives better, healthier and safer. He takes us on a tour of the next 20 years of AI and ...
09.08.2021 A sci-fi vision of life in 2041 \| Chen Qiufan Sci-fi writer Chen Qiufan doesn't fear a dystopian future. Instead, he believes developments in artificial intelligence will make all of our lives better, healthier and safer. He takes us on a tour of the next 20 years of AI and ...
08.03.2021 Meet the scientist couple driving an mRNA vaccine revolution \| Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci As COVID-19 spread, BioNTech cofounders Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci had one goal: to make a safe, effective vaccine faster than ever before. In this illuminating conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, the immunologists (and married couple) share the ...
08.03.2021 Meet the scientist couple driving an mRNA vaccine revolution \| Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci As COVID-19 spread, BioNTech cofounders Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci had one goal: to make a safe, effective vaccine faster than ever before. In this illuminating conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, the immunologists (and married couple) share the ...
07.14.2021 The missing 96 percent of the universe \| Claire Malone We've misplaced the building blocks of the cosmos -- and particle physicists like Claire Malone are on a mission to find them. Despite scientists hitting a "major snag" in uncovering what exactly makes up dark matter and dark energy, she ...
07.14.2021 The missing 96 percent of the universe \| Claire Malone We've misplaced the building blocks of the cosmos -- and particle physicists like Claire Malone are on a mission to find them. Despite scientists hitting a "major snag" in uncovering what exactly makes up dark matter and dark energy, she ...
05.24.2021 The death of the universe -- and what it means for life \| Katie Mack The universe started with a bang -- but how will it end? With astonishing visuals, cosmologist and TED Fellow Katie Mack takes us to the theoretical end of everything, some trillions of years in the future, in a profound meditation ...
05.24.2021 The death of the universe -- and what it means for life \| Katie Mack The universe started with a bang -- but how will it end? With astonishing visuals, cosmologist and TED Fellow Katie Mack takes us to the theoretical end of everything, some trillions of years in the future, in a profound meditation ...
05.24.2021 The search for microscopic aliens \| Sarah Rugheimer Astrophysicist and TED Fellow Sarah Rugheimer searches for aliens -- but not the cartoony green kind. She's looking for extraterrestrial microbes by studying how these single-celled organisms emit gases, which could reveal evidence of them throughout the cosmos. Wondering if ...
05.24.2021 The search for microscopic aliens \| Sarah Rugheimer Astrophysicist and TED Fellow Sarah Rugheimer searches for aliens -- but not the cartoony green kind. She's looking for extraterrestrial microbes by studying how these single-celled organisms emit gases, which could reveal evidence of them throughout the cosmos. Wondering if ...
05.24.2021 The search for microscopic aliens \| Sarah Rugheimer Astrophysicist and TED Fellow Sarah Rugheimer searches for aliens -- but not the cartoony green kind. She's looking for extraterrestrial microbes by studying how these single-celled organisms emit gases, which could reveal evidence of them throughout the cosmos. Wondering if ...
05.10.2021 How COVID-19 transformed the future of medicine \| Daniel Kraft The pandemic forced the world to work together like never before and, with unprecedented speed, bore a new age of health and medical innovation. Physician-scientist Daniel Kraft explains how breakthroughs and advancements like AI-infused antiviral discoveries and laboratory-level diagnostic tools ...
05.10.2021 How COVID-19 transformed the future of medicine \| Daniel Kraft The pandemic forced the world to work together like never before and, with unprecedented speed, bore a new age of health and medical innovation. Physician-scientist Daniel Kraft explains how breakthroughs and advancements like AI-infused antiviral discoveries and laboratory-level diagnostic tools ...
05.10.2021 How COVID-19 transformed the future of medicine \| Daniel Kraft The pandemic forced the world to work together like never before and, with unprecedented speed, bore a new age of health and medical innovation. Physician-scientist Daniel Kraft explains how breakthroughs and advancements like AI-infused antiviral discoveries and laboratory-level diagnostic tools ...
05.10.2021 How COVID-19 transformed the future of medicine \| Daniel Kraft The pandemic forced the world to work together like never before and, with unprecedented speed, bore a new age of health and medical innovation. Physician-scientist Daniel Kraft explains how breakthroughs and advancements like AI-infused antiviral discoveries and laboratory-level diagnostic tools ...

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