TEDialogues

What if restaurants could help combat climate change? Chef and entrepreneur began his journey from line cook to founder of Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit focused on regenerative agriculture. After realizing that improving ingredient sourcing wasn’t enough to tackle the food system’s climate impact, he shifted his focus to farming practices. Through collective action, Zero Foodprint partners with restaurants and businesses to fund climate-friendly farming, creating a sustainable future. By simply adding a few cents to food purchases, consumers can help regenerate farms, fight climate change, and restore ecosystems—all while enjoying their meals.

Imagine a device that detects diseases like a smoke detector senses fire—working 24/7 to sniff out virus particles in the air before symptoms appear or the infection spreads. This idea, inspired by the ability of animals like dogs and ferrets to detect diseases, could revolutionize disease control in humans and animals. From preventing pandemics to stopping bird flu and chronic wasting disease in livestock, a “mechanical nose” would allow early detection, saving lives. While building this technology is complex, our progress using trained animals brings us closer to making it a reality.

Computer simulations can help identify solutions for reforming democracy amid today’s political polarization. The author, a computational neuroscientist, argues that a two-party system often forces voters to extremes, risking the election of radical leaders. They highlight how third-party candidates can split votes in first-past-the-post systems but point to Alaska’s top-four primary and ranked-choice voting as a promising reform. Additional solutions include redistricting, eliminating the Electoral College, approval voting, and campaign finance reform, with a call for scientists to advocate for these changes at all levels of government.