Ideas worth spreading

TED@NAS

November 2019

|2.1K views

What a chemical language from the ocean could teach us about ourselves

Oceanographer Bethanie Edwards studies oxylipin -- a chemical "language" spoken by phytoplankton in the ocean and, amazingly, the immune cells in our bodies. By investigating how this language works, Edwards shows how we can gain a deeper understanding of the planet -- and ourselves.

Become a TED Member

Want to hear more great ideas like this one? Sign up for TED Membership to get exclusive access to captivating conversations, engaging events, and more!

This talk was presented at a TED Institute event given in partnership with The Kavli Foundation, the Simons Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences.

Read more about the TED Institute.

Oceanographer Bethanie Edwards studies oxylipin -- a chemical "language" spoken by phytoplankton in the ocean and, amazingly, the immune cells in our bodies. By investigating how this language works, Edwards shows how we can gain a deeper understanding of the planet -- and ourselves.

This talk was presented at a TED Institute event given in partnership with The Kavli Foundation, the Simons Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences.

Read more about the TED Institute.

About the speaker

Bethanie Edwards

Oceanographer

Bethanie Edwards is a sea-going oceanographer interested in how marine microbes interact with one another, the chemical language they use to do so and the impact this has on ocean chemistry and climate.

About TED Institute

Every year, TED works with a group of select companies and foundations to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas. The culmination is an event produced, recorded, and hosted by TED, generating a growing library of valuable TED Talks that can spur innovation and transform organizations.

Read more about the TED Institute