The 10 Best TED Talks on Science and Technology

We’ve compiled a collection of the best talks that will change the way you view science and technology.

A New Way to Explore the Brain’s Invisible Secrets

Neuroengineer Ed Boyden wants to know how tiny biomolecules in our brains trigger emotions, thoughts, and feelings. He wants to discover the molecular changes that lead to disorders like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s. Instead of examining these tiny structures through a magnifying glass, he asks, «What if we magnify them to see them better?» Discover how swellable polymers used in baby diapers may hold the key to understanding our brains.

How a Forgotten Space Age Technology Could Change the Way We Eat

We’re headed toward a planet populated by 10 billion people, but what will we eat? Lisa Dyson stumbled upon an idea developed by NASA in the 1960s for long-distance space travel that could offer a new solution for rethinking our approach to growing food.

Off-Screen Interface Technology

The advent of the computer completely changed our understanding of tools because computing is dynamic. It can perform millions of different processes and handle millions of different applications.

Together with colleagues, Daniel Lightinger and Hiroshi Ishii created inFORM, where the interface extends beyond the screen and can be physically manipulated. Alternatively, data can be physically embodied in 3D, allowing users to touch, feel, and perceive it in new ways. Gestures or physical manipulation can be used to model «digital clay.»

A new way to treat heart disease without surgery

Combining medical innovations with indigenous culture, pediatric cardiologist Franz Freudenthal treats children with heart defects around the world using a device inspired by traditional Bolivian weaving. He says that today’s most complex problems can be solved with simple solutions, if you use your imagination.

A robot that runs and swims like a salamander

Auke Espeert is an engineer who creates biorobots. These machines, modeled after animals and capable of tackling any challenging surface, would be right at home in a science fiction novel. The creation of such robots leads to the improvement of industrial robots for use in field work, maintenance, and search and rescue operations. However, these robots do more than just mimic the natural world around us. They help us better understand our own biology, unlocking previously unknown secrets of the spinal cord.

The brain can regenerate Repair It Yourself – With Some Help

With her experience treating a variety of brain injuries, from strokes to accidents, Jocelyne Bloch knows well the brain’s ability to heal. But now, she believes, she and her colleagues may have found the key to neuronal restoration: doublecortin-positive cells. Similar to stem cells, these cells are incredibly adaptable, and when removed from the brain, grown in the lab, and then reimplanted into a damaged area, they can help repair and rebuild that area. «With a little help,» says Blosh, «the brain can repair itself.»

Why Genetic Research Needs to Be More Diverse

96% of genome research is based on data from people of European descent. The rest of the world is barely represented—and that’s dangerous, says geneticist and TED talker Keolu Fox, because we respond to drugs differently due to our slightly different genetic makeup. Fox works to democratize genome sequencing, specifically advocating for Indigenous peoples to participate in research to address health inequities. «The research community needs to immerse themselves in Indigenous culture,» he says, «or they will die.»

Gene editing can now alter entire species – forever

CRISPR gene drives allow scientists to alter DNA sequences and ensure that the altered genetic trait is passed on to future generations. This opens the possibility of permanently altering entire species. This technology has raised many questions. How will this new ability impact humanity? What will we change with it? Are we gods now? Journalist Jennifer Kahn ponders these questions and discusses a possible and promising application for gene drives: creating disease-resistant mosquitoes that could help eradicate malaria and the Zika virus.

The Unexpected Benefit of Celebrating Failure

«Great dreams aren’t just about seeing,» says Astro Teller. «It’s a vision coupled with strategies for making it happen.» The head of Company X (formerly Google X) invites us into what’s known as the «dream factory,» where his team is trying to solve the world’s most pressing problems through experimental projects like internet-broadcasting balloons and floating wind turbines. Discover Company X’s secret to building an organization where people feel comfortable working on big, risky projects and exploring bold ideas.

Originally published at TED