The Glow Below
Host Molly Webster talks with deep-sea explorer and oceanographer Edie Witter about her decades studying bioluminescence in the deep ocean. Witter describes her first encounters with glowing deep-sea creatures, the many survival functions of bioluminescence, and the surprising evolutionary origin of light-producing bacteria. The conversation explores how light operates as camouflage, weapon, and communication system in the deep sea, and how interacting with bioluminescent life can profoundly affect human perception and awe.
How to measure the planet's heartbeat | Yadvinder Malhi
Ecosystem ecologist Yadvinder Mali explains how he and colleagues measure and map the flows of energy, carbon, and nutrients that sustain ecosystems, from forests and soils to coral reefs. He introduces the idea of "vibrancy"-the complexity and spread of energy through many species-as a key determinant of ecosystem health and resilience. Using examples from English woodlands, savannas, and tropical atolls, he argues that valuing nature only for carbon undermines this vibrancy, and that working with the wild energies of the biosphere gives both ecosystems and human communities their best chance to adapt to climate change.
The hidden cost of buying gold | Claudia Vega
Rainforest toxicologist and TED Fellow Claudia Vega explains how artisanal gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon releases large amounts of mercury, causing severe environmental damage and public health risks locally and globally. She describes the mining process, mercury's toxic effects, and the massive deforestation in Madre de Dios, as well as her work establishing the first mercury lab in the Peruvian Amazon to generate local data for communities, policymakers, and international agreements. In conversation with TED Fellows Program Director Lily James Olds, she discusses working with indigenous communities, changing mining practices, the limits of "green" gold, the need for consumer awareness and traceability, and her fears about fake news and hope in small but real changes.