Biologist Robert Full shares slo-mo video of some captivating critters. Take a closer look at the spiny legs that allow cockroaches to scuttle across mesh and the nanobristle-packed feet that let geckos to run straight up walls.
Biologist Robert Full studies the amazing gecko, with its supersticky feet and tenacious climbing skill. But high-speed footage reveals that the gecko's tail harbors perhaps the most surprising talents of all.
How can robots learn to stabilize on rough terrain, walk upside down, do gymnastic maneuvers in air and run into walls without harming themselves? Robert Full takes a look at the incredible body of the cockroach to show what it can teach robotics engineers.
Insects and animals have evolved some amazing skills -- but, as Robert Full notes, many animals are actually over-engineered. The trick is to copy only what's necessary. He shows how human engineers can learn from animals' tricks.
Have we used up all our resources? Have we filled up all the livable space on Earth? Paul Gilding suggests we have, and the possibility of devastating consequences, in a talk that's equal parts terrifying and, oddly, hopeful.
It's time to take action. This closing session of the Countdown Global Launch explores the road ahead: How to think urgently and long-term about climate change. How to take into account the interests of future generations in today's decisions. How we as individuals, communities and organizations can contribute to shaping a better future. Session...
Ready for your next adventure? Prepare with these talks full of actionable advice to help you navigate the curious world of professional careers. (Curated in partnership with the National Security Agency.)
Transforming big systems is a huge task. Energy, transportation, industry and infrastructure all pose their own challenges. And yet that transformation is already happening. Session 3 of the Countdown Global Launch, hosted by Jane Fonda and Xiye Bastida, features Varun Sivaram, Myles Allen, Rose M. Mutiso, Monica Araya, Al Gore, Gloria Kasang Bu...
Launching Countdown means asking big questions: What's the state of the climate today? What does climate science know? How are we going to achieve a net-zero future? How do we center climate justice in our work? This opening session of the Countdown Global Launch, hosted by Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle, features Johan Rockström, Angel Hsu, Antón...
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...
The climate crisis demands leadership at every level. Governments, cities and businesses are three key players in designing and implementing the necessary transition -- and putting climate back on the political and social agenda. Session 2 of the Countdown Global Launch, hosted by Al Gore and Jaden Smith, features Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Ursula vo...
Graphene is often called the "material of superlatives" because so much about it is extreme. Made of a single layer of carbon atoms, it is the thinnest structure ever (it is actually 2D). It is impermeable, stronger than diamond, and the best thermal conductor found to date. Mikael Fogelstrom, head of the Graphene Institute at Chalmers Universit...
Calls for authenticity at work ask for passionate people with diverse, fresh perspectives who challenge old ways of thinking. But too often workplace culture fails to support the authenticity of professionals of color and other underrepresented groups, leading instead to backlash and fewer opportunities. Writer Jodi-Ann Burey outlines steps towa...
Join Phil Tetlow on a mind-bending journey to understand how we organize endless data into relevant information. Our minds, he says, use tools like pattern-matching and simplifying to make sense of the world around us. He explores the concept of network theory, detailing how vast amounts of information tend to be delivered through relatively sma...
Photographer Phil Borges shows rarely seen images of people from the mountains of Dharamsala, India, and the jungles of the Ecuadorean Amazon. In documenting these endangered cultures, he intends to help preserve them.
You know the "forgotten middle": they're the students, coworkers and regular people who are often overlooked because they're seen as neither exceptional nor problematic. How can we empower them to reach their full potential? Sharing her work helping young people get to and through college, social activist Danielle R. Moss challenges us to think ...
Villy Wang is in the business of rewriting stereotypes, empowering youth of color to take back their narratives through storytelling. In this moving talk, Wang explains how she developed a program to train kids in filmmaking so they can create new, authentic stories and break the cycle of bias perpetuated in media.
Financial institutions often impose Western models of risk assessment, which are often ill-fitted for diverse global markets -- especially in Africa, a continent made up of thousands of ethnic and cultural groups and more than 2,000 languages. Fintech entrepreneur Viola Llewellyn is determined to properly tap into the continent's potential for w...