OCW
A mouse with two dads — and a new frontier for biology
You're familiar with the story: a sperm and an egg meet to create an embryo, which has the potential to give rise to new life. But what if you could create a sperm or egg from any cell, even a single skin cell? Biologist Katsuhiko Hayashi discusses the science of in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) ..
TED
Why is Alzheimer’s disease so difficult to treat?
Around the world, millions of people have Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and other cognitive abilities. While doctors have studied Alzheimer’s for decades, conducting hundreds of clinical trials, there is still no effective preventi..
TED
The real reason polio is so dangerous
In 1952, polio was everywhere: killing or paralyzing roughly half a million people annually. Yet just 10 years later, paralytic polio cases in the US dropped by 96% and we were on track to get rid of polio for good. But in recent years, the virus started striking back. So, what’s behind these rece..
TED
Your empty wine bottle could help rebuild coastlines
What if you could take something as tiny as a grain of sand — and as common as a glass bottle — and use it to tackle the climate crisis? Waste alchemist Franziska Trautmann shares how the spark of an idea turned into a large-scale operation helping restore the eroded shores of Louisiana and beyo..
TED
Could we replace data centers with … plant DNA?
Is it possible to meet the world's seemingly infinite demand for data storage while also caring for the natural environment? Biomedical researcher Keolu Fox and professional surfer and scientist Cliff Kapono believe that Indigenous knowledge combined with the science of genetics may offer such ..
TED
What are those colors you see when you rub your eyes?
In the 1600s, Isaac Newton conducted a series of experiments to better understand the lights and colors that sometimes appear when your eyes are closed. If you’ve ever sat around an evening campfire or unintentionally glanced at the Sun, you may have noticed illuminated patterns briefly dance alon..
TED
