How we're using DNA tech to help farmers fight crop diseases | Laura Boykin

Loading player...

Nearly 800 million people worldwide depend on cassava for survival -- but this critical food source is under attack by entirely preventable viruses, says computational biologist and TED Senior Fellow Laura Boykin. She takes us to the farms in East Africa where she's working with a diverse team of scientists to help farmers keep their crops healthy using a portable DNA lab and mini supercomputer that can identify viruses in hours, instead of months.

10 Oct 2019 10AM English South Africa Education · Science

Other recent episodes

How your nature photos can help protect wild animals | Tanya Berger-Wolf

We're losing animal and plant species at such a swift, unprecedented rate that it's nearly impossible to keep up. Computational biologist Tanya Berger-Wolf demonstrates how harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and one of the internet's biggest resources -- public images and video -- supports the crucial collection of data…

23 Oct 2021 6AM 9 min

3 tips for leaders to get the future of work right | Debbie Lovich

Work that's dictated by a fixed schedule, place and job description doesn't make sense anymore, says leadership expert Debbie Lovich. In light of the cultural shift towards remote work sparked by the pandemic, Lovich gives three essential tips to leaders so employees can keep their autonomy (while remaining productive), companies…

22 Oct 2021 10AM 13 min

A close-to-home solution for accessible childcare | Chris Bennett

Childcare needs a transformation -- but rather than investing billions in new buildings and schools, what if we could unlock the potential of people already nearby? Entrepreneur Chris Bennett offers an innovative way to tackle the shortage of childcare worldwide and connect families to safe, affordable and high-quality options in…

21 Oct 2021 10AM 10 min

How much clean electricity do we really need? | Solomon Goldstein-Rose

To fight climate change, we need to clean up the global electricity system by replacing fossil fuel power plants with clean generation -- right? Climate author Solomon Goldstein-Rose thinks we need to do much more than that. Replacement isn't enough, he explains in this compelling talk: we need to rapidly…

20 Oct 2021 11AM 10 min

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 without the negative consequences of industrial farming -- and how…

19 Oct 2021 10AM 13 min

All episodes