"I don't think we're going to make it," John Doerr says in an emotional talk about climate change and investment. To create a world fit for his daughter to live in, he says, we need to invest now in clean, green energy.

Our leaders and institutions are failing us, but it's not always because they're bad or unethical, says venture capitalist John Doerr -- often, it's simply because they're leading us toward the wrong objectives. In this practical talk, Doerr shows us how we can get back on track with "Objectives and Key Results," or OKRs -- a goal-setting system...

"How much more damage do we have to endure before we realize that it's cheaper to save this planet than to ruin it?" asks engineer and investor John Doerr. In conversation with Countdown cofounder Lindsay Levin, Doerr and systems innovator Ryan Panchadsaram lay out six big objectives that -- if pursued with speed and scale -- could transform soc...

"The good news is it's now clearly cheaper to save the planet than to ruin it," says engineer and investor John Doerr. "The bad news is: we are fast running out of time." In this conversation with climate policy expert Hal Harvey, the two sustainability leaders discuss why humanity has to act globally, at speed and at scale, to meet the staggeri...

The world around us is mainly made of two things: nature and the materials that we extract from it. To fight climate change, we need to protect and regenerate nature and transform materials into low- or zero-carbon alternatives. Session 4 of the Countdown Global Launch, hosted by Prajakta Koli and Hannah Stocking, features Thomas Crowther, Ernes...

Got milk? When it comes to building strong bones, you shouldn't just stick to the dairy aisle—but many people are starting to skip it all together, with a demonic narrative evolving around milk in recent years. So which should we believe? To find out, Jen travels to the hills of Mongolia to learn all about lactase and breaks down the basics of w...

Anxiety helps keep us alive. But how can you tell when it crosses the line from survival instinct to serious problem? For the more than 30 percent of Americans who will experience an anxiety disorder, stigma around mental health problems makes it hard to find out. Dr. Jen Gunter breaks down where those stigmas originated, the science behind our ...

There are only two mammals who have evolved to survive after their child bearing years: toothed whales and humans. This stage of life is called menopause, and it makes humans an evolutionary wonder! But our perception of it has been shaped by centuries of stigma and shame—up until recently it was even considered a "disease" by the medical establ...

Can you really boost your metabolism? Is blue light actually ruining your sleep? How much vaginal yeast is healthy, and when is it ... too much? Body Stuff is back for a second season to bust the lies you're told -- and sold -- about your personal health. Join Dr. Jen Gunter as she addresses common myths, from the incredible ways your sense of t...

When most people think about poop, they think about shame and embarrassment. It's something they don't want to talk about and that prevents us from learning things—like the number of times a day we should be going number two—that can keep us healthy! On this episode, Dr. Jen tells us why some of the things we've been told about poop are a load o...

There are YouTube tutorials, magazine columns, and entire online communities dedicated to finding the "perfect skin care routine." But what we consider to be "perfect" skin is rooted in racist, sexist and ageist ideas. So what do we need to do to protect this amazing organ that is the first line of defense for the body? Jen is joined by a dermat...

"Glowing skin, increased energy, higher mental function and weight loss: These are just a few of the benefits we have been promised for the low cost of 8 glasses of water a day. But can this magical elixir really do all that it claims? Dr. Jen Gunter takes us behind the fascinating (and scandalous) history of hydration pseudoscience, unpacks the...

Put down the cayenne-lemon water, and step away from the "diet" teas, says Dr. Jen Gunter. She's joined by a hepatologist who explains why these cleanses and "natural" detoxes can do more harm to your body (and bank account) than good, and shares what you can do to keep your body's natural detox system running smoothly. Thanks to Dr. Kaveh Hoda ...

When it comes to climate, what are we doing right and where should we focus our efforts next? Systems innovator Ryan Panchadsaram and strategist Anjali Grover talk with TED science curator David Biello about the latest on the world's progress toward solving the climate crisis — and why there's more reason for optimism than you might think. Using...

Netflix changed the world of entertainment -- first with DVD-by-mail, then with streaming media and then again with sensational original shows like "Orange Is the New Black" and "Stranger Things" -- but not without taking its fair share of risks. In conversation with TED curator Chris Anderson, Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings discusses ...

With the same humor and humanity he exuded in "An Inconvenient Truth," Al Gore spells out 15 ways that individuals can address climate change immediately, from buying a hybrid to inventing a new, hotter brand name for global warming.

Danny Hills makes a case for the next frontier of cancer research: proteomics, the study of proteins in the body. As Hillis explains it, genomics shows us a list of the ingredients of the body -- while proteomics shows us what those ingredients produce. Understanding what's going on in your body at the protein level may lead to a new understandi...

Technologist and futurist Bill Joy talks about several big worries for humanity -- and several big hopes in the fields of health, education and future tech.

A native of Canada, Dr. Johnny Huard is a world-renowned scientist and is currently a Professor, Distinguished Chair for Orthopaedic Research, and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; McGovern Medical School. He studies cutting-edge science in the field of s...

John Bagu Ph.D discusses the economic and health costs of pollution. He offers his fully solar powered household as an example of how clean energy can be implemented in communities.

Nature always chooses the form of matter that is the most stable, but sometimes less stable forms have more exciting properties. Carbon is one such material. Graphite which is dark and soft is the most stable form of carbon but diamond, which is also made of carbon, is bright, hard, and metastable. On a nanometer length scale, carbon has even mo...

It is easy to find yourself in a toxic relationship, so it's important to have self-compassion and to not beat yourself up. There are three important steps to follow to ensure a healthy, happy relationship.

Dr. Jain talks about the duties of a doctor to their patient as an individual and to community. He also explains the dilemma and solution to moral issues faced by doctors everyday.

Experimentation and research are the foundation of scientific knowledge. Despite this, most students don’t perform any research until they go to graduate school. In this talk, Jon Briggs describes how his beginning biology students have been studying the genome of a bacterium from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent using the tools of bioinformatics.

Positivity and Grief don’t typically go in the same sentence. Dr. June shares how APTing (Accentuating Positive Thinking) helped her deal with grief after her losses. While acknowledging grief never ends, she offers three mindsets to deal with the pain. While we tend to focus on the negative, we can surprise ourselves with the Power of Positivit...

This engaging talk teaches us about the core elements of autism and the benefits of early detection. After decades of working with autistic children Dr. Montovani likens 3rd party involvement to 911 emergency. His hope is that close family and friends could bring up the idea of autism early on if a child has indications. This is something tha...

In this engaging talk, Dr. Joanne Kong explores dietary trends and advocates for the importance of plant-based eating.

The use of science and analytics within pro sports as a competitive advantage has exploded in the past decade. Despite this trend, sport science is not used to engage diverse youth in STEM. Youth are recruited into STEM fields primarily through stereotypical “nerdy” activities such as robotics competitions. This prevents the engagement of youth,...

Beating nature at photosynthesis has been a noble and ambitious goal of scientists for the past century. The dream is to develop artificial photosynthesis as a means of providing sustainable and clean energy to the world. So far, progress in solar hydrogen production has been promising, but what about for more complex fuels? Instead of competing...

John addresses the impending replacement of 50% of our jobs that use the human physical and mental dexterity, with robots. The talk explores how it is important to develop the new economy before the new technology completely wipes out the old one and so provide our young people with jobs. John also discusses his Robot Rallying venture, a GEM (g...