What can we learn from the slimy, smelly side of life? In this playful talk, science journalist Anna Rothschild shows us the hidden wisdom of "gross stuff" and explains why avoiding the creepy underbelly of nature, medicine and technology closes us off to important sources of knowledge about our health and the world. "When we explore the gross side of life, we find insights that we never would have thought we'd find, and we even often reveal beauty that we didn't think was there," Rothschild says.

Anna Rothschild: Why you should love gross science

Why you should love gross science

Exploring the repugnant leads to enlightenment; from nun urine's role in fertility treatments to slime's scientific intrigue.

Disgust's disguise as morality impedes our curiosity. Embracing the gross can unravel life's mysteries and propel scientific discovery.

Unearthing the beauty in the grotesque, like the kinky habits of sea slugs, sheds light on neuroscience, winning Nobel Prizes.