NPR/TED Staff
Stories
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Lucianne Walkowicz: Should We Be Using Mars As A Backup Planet?
Lucianne Walkowicz is all for space exploration, but says we shouldn't expect Mars to save us from a damaged Earth. She warns us not to lose sight of preserving the home we already have.
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Lisa Nip: How Can We Engineer The Human Body To Survive On Mars ... And Beyond?
Space is an extreme environment filled with radiation, and next to no oxygen. To survive there, Lisa Nip says humans are going to have to change themselves ... genetically.
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Stephen Petranek: How Will Humans Live On Mars?
Stephen Petranek says, in the next decade, we will send humans to colonize Mars. He lays out the technology--from water-extraction to bricks made of Martian soil--that'll make life possible there.
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Kate Raworth: How Can We Create A Thriving Economy For Ourselves And The Planet?
We're often told that economic growth is good, but Kate Raworth says our addiction to growth is destroying the planet. To thrive in the 21st century, she says we need a new circular economic system.
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Jessi Arrington: How Can Thrifting Clothes Help The Environment — And Your Style?
Fast fashion is wreaking havoc on the environment. That's why Jessi Arrington makes a point of (almost) never buying anything new. She explains how she builds a sustainable wardrobe that looks great.
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Kate Orff: How Can Oysters Revive New York City's Waterways?
Oysters filter water, their shells form protective reefs and habitats, and regenerate into more oyster shells. Kate Orff uses oysters to revive depleted ecosystems — like those around New York City.
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David Katz: How Can We Address Ocean Plastic Pollution And Poverty At The Same Time?
Millions of tons of plastic flow into the ocean each year. David Katz's Plastic Bank helps turn off the tap — and gives the poor an income source — creating a circular economy around plastic waste.
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Simone Giertz: What Can Making Useless Robots Teach Us About Joy?
Simone Giertz is an inventor of useless robots. She finds joy and freedom in learning to build machines that are meant to fail. She shares that joy with millions through her YouTube channel.
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Meklit Hadero: How Can We Find Joy In Everyday Sounds?
Meklit Hadero hears joyful music everywhere: in laughter, nature, language, and even the sounds of cooking. She believes her job as a musician is to uncover joy and create music from it.
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Yasmin Green: How Did The Internet Become A Platform For Hate Groups?
Extremist groups have co-opted the Internet's connective power to recruit members. Yasmin Green explores how the Internet has allowed extremism to spread, and how technology can combat it.