A robot that eats pollution

This week on TED.com February 25, 2017

Jonathan Rossiter: A robot that eats pollution 14:10 minutes · Filmed Mar 2016 · Posted Feb 2017 · TEDxWarwick Meet the "Row-bot," a robot that cleans up pollution and generates the electricity to power itself by swallowing dirty water. Roboticist Jonathan Rossiter explains how this swimming machine, which uses a microbial fuel cell to neutralize algal blooms and oil slicks, could lead the way to future biodegradable, autonomous pollution-fighting robots. Watch now »

Playlist of the week Talks to inspire projects with kids These 8 crafty talks will ignite passions, pique interests and introduce kids to the excitement of hands-on learning. Watch » 8 TED Talks • Total run time 1:10:47

This week's new TED Talks Charity Wayua is a medical researcher who found herself with an unlikely patient: the government of Kenya. In this fascinating talk, hear about how a small team of analysts with unusual backgrounds managed to diagnose a sticky problem that was keeping new businesses from thriving -- and how they ended up making real change that drives prosperity and growth. Watch » How do we make sense of today's political divisions? In a wide-ranging conversation full of insight, historian Yuval Harari places our current turmoil in a broader context, against the ongoing disruption of our technology, climate, media -- even our notion of what humanity is for. Make time (just over an hour) for this fascinating discussion between Harari and TED curator Chris Anderson. Watch » Cultural theorist Brittney Cooper thinks deeply on the concept of time -- and how, historically, it is one of the vital, hidden things that has been stolen from people of color. She details the lost moments of joy and connection, lost years of healthy quality of life and the delay of progress. A candid, thought-provoking take on history and race that may make you reconsider your understanding of time, and your place in it. Watch » Where are all the women and girls in Hollywood? Social scientist Stacy Smith analyzes how movies (under)represent women -- and the destructive effects this has on moviegoers. Check out the hard data on gender bias in Hollywood movies, where on-screen males outnumber females three to one (and behind the camera, it's even worse). Watch before the Oscars ... and ask yourself who's missing. Watch »

Read more on ideas.ted.com Work: Are humans in danger of becoming useless? Yuval Harari plays out a scary scenario -- and what we can do about it  Genetics: Inside humanity's treasure trove of unique genomes Indigenous people have a few unique genes -- and learning more about them could benefit humanity as a whole, says geneticist Keolu Fox Science: How scientists caught a ripple in space-time This massive worldwide experiment caught the sound of two black holes colliding

Quote of the Week “ It's easy in this political and global economy to want to give up. We can easily resign to the thinking that government is too inefficient, too corrupt, unfixable. But just because a system is sick doesn't mean it's dying. In the end, what really makes a government healthy is when healthy cells — that's you and I — get to the ground, roll up our sleeves, refuse to be helpless." Charity Wayua A few ways to keep government healthy

ted radio hour: The Spirit of Inquiry The force behind scientific progress is the simple act of asking questions. This episode, TED speakers explore how a deeper and more humble style of inquiry may help achieve the next big breakthrough. Listen to TED Radio Hour on iTunes »

 

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