Connect with us

Science & Technology

Why Does Uncertainty Bother Us So Much? | Adam Kucharski | TED

Why do we find it easier to trust some concepts and ideas over others? Mathematician and TED Fellow Adam Kucharski explores the science of uncertainty, revealing how the very human need for explanation shapes trust in science, fear of technology and belief in conspiracy theories. (Recorded at TEDxLondon on January 26, 2025) Join us in…

Published

on

Why do we find it easier to trust some concepts and ideas over others? Mathematician and TED Fellow Adam Kucharski explores the science of uncertainty, revealing how the very human need for explanation shapes trust in science, fear of technology and belief in conspiracy theories. (Recorded at TEDxLondon on January 26, 2025)

Join us in person at a TED conference:
Become a TED Member to support our mission:
Subscribe to a TED newsletter.

Follow TED!
X:
Instagram:
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:

The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more.

Watch more:

TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Science

Continue Reading
Advertisement
22 Comments

22 Comments

  1. @Jasenskiditorere

    August 11, 2025 at 11:07 am

    came here for thing, stayed for everything 😚🍒

  2. @Sofianapuigig

    August 11, 2025 at 11:12 am

    was not expecting to enjoy this but here we are 🧡💖

  3. @achmadhanifmardinsyah5825

    August 11, 2025 at 11:13 am

    I feel same, i craving Information and give dopamine. Get burnout for studying then cant sleep 🙂

  4. @PomPonn-f2i

    August 11, 2025 at 11:19 am

    ♥ 👀

  5. @grantlauzon5237

    August 11, 2025 at 11:52 am

    And they’ll never leave.

  6. @Jaishreeram-ly2jm

    August 11, 2025 at 11:52 am

    This will blow up in the next ten years .I will visit it in in 2035 probably.

  7. @mrfalleo

    August 11, 2025 at 11:55 am

    Humans, know nothing and the universe does not bend to our knees. We are just a chaotic bioproduct of the universe.

  8. @West1010

    August 11, 2025 at 12:04 pm

    Women love uncertainty when it comes to relationships.

  9. @Ludiotic

    August 11, 2025 at 12:14 pm

    One of the other challenges is that a complex truth can make us feel stupid, and the idea of deferring to an expert we don’t yet trust makes us feel vulnerable. It’s why a lot of conspiracy theories (and creation myths) are so attractive – “this person did it” is something we can always wrap our heads around, so we don’t feel threatened by the complexity.

    It’s so hard to actively suspend certainty that I’m not surprised we’re surrounded by theories.

    • @mmdrodrigues

      August 11, 2025 at 7:00 pm

      Would you rather not be surrounded by theories ? They essentially equate to human progress and for every conspiracy there is potentially one correct conspiracy theory ..

      Too bad people don’t even understand that the term was used as a pejorative, by the CIA for them to curtail questions about Oswald acting alone or not. I’m glad he’s a doctor and not a scientist. I don’t use doctors much nowadays, most of them are completely locked in their assumed knowledge..and yet the world is sicker each day.

  10. @etchasketch222

    August 11, 2025 at 12:43 pm

    What’s the TLDW?

    • @QuintFoxGPT

      August 11, 2025 at 2:09 pm

      * Complex Technologies and Lack of Explanation: The speaker highlights several examples where we trust technology without a complete understanding of why it works:
      * Aerodynamics: Common explanations for why airplanes fly don’t cover all scenarios.
      * Medical Technologies: The exact mechanisms behind defibrillation and general anesthesia are still not entirely clear.
      * Self-driving Cars: A major concern is not understanding the decision-making process of autonomous machines.
      * Computer-aided Proofs: The first major mathematical theorem proven by a computer forced mathematicians to accept a proof they couldn’t verify by hand.
      * The Shift from Explanation to Prediction: In many fields, the focus has moved to prediction because it’s an easier problem than finding a full explanation. This becomes problematic in areas like the justice system, where algorithms predict future crimes without explaining the underlying reasons.
      * The Role of Explanation in Conspiracy Theories: A lack of clear explanations can create a void that conspiracy theories fill. These theories often provide simple, all-encompassing explanations for complex events.
      * The Importance of Acknowledging the Human Need for Explanation: The speaker argues that it’s crucial for scientists and experts to not just state what is true but also explain why it’s true. As the world becomes more complex, individuals need to find new ways to evaluate claims and trust experts.
      The video concludes by emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between knowing “what is happening” and understanding “why it’s happening.”

    • @maxinedowns8013

      August 11, 2025 at 4:46 pm

      Too Long Didn’t Watch.

  11. @TheBestLifeMindsetWithShelly

    August 11, 2025 at 12:56 pm

    Fascinating topic. Our brains crave certainty, even if it’s false—sometimes we’d rather have a wrong answer than sit with the unknown.🩷

  12. @Bluth53

    August 11, 2025 at 12:59 pm

    The topic and content are quite good, but the presentation and pronunciation could be improved.

  13. @QuintFoxGPT

    August 11, 2025 at 2:08 pm

    * 00:04 – The Airplane Riddle
    * 00:49 – The Mystery of Defibrillation
    * 01:01 – The Unexplained Anesthesia
    * 02:03 – The Problem with Self-Driving Cars
    * 02:55 – The Computer-Aided Proof
    * 05:52 – Algorithms in the Justice System
    * 08:16 – The Appeal of Conspiracy Theories
    * 10:09 – Conclusion

    • @gallahaggis

      August 11, 2025 at 9:10 pm

      gake and fay

  14. @meloz1246

    August 11, 2025 at 2:23 pm

    The price tags are still on every piece of his apparel

  15. @mmdrodrigues

    August 11, 2025 at 6:57 pm

    Logical fallacy…. He is guilty of what he accuses the theorists of, wanting to defend his point and not be open minded to evolve his position …. 😂 The irony is delicious, but lost on him of course….

    Too bad doctors weren’t open to understanding that sun and exercise and not being in home prison would have been a better approach ..

    Too bad they weren’t open minded (lol, as if that was the root cause…) to the possibility that the vaccines didn’t stop transmission like they repeated as nauseaum.

    This won’t age well, and if it does, we’ll be in 1984..

  16. @8888Rik

    August 12, 2025 at 11:21 am

    I dearly wish this had been much longer. As a scientist with a deep background in philosophy (and math), I think a great deal about the need that we all have for explanation, and I used to discuss this when I was a statistics lecturer at a University. People may get the math of statistical correlations, but they need specific, causal mechanisms as well, especially when the event in question happens to *them*, specifically and directly, from automobile accidents to cancer. It seems to be a psychological epistemic necessity.

  17. @DeborahMarchantPoet

    August 12, 2025 at 3:26 pm

    Why? We can go deeper. Naturally experiencing uncertainty, the easily threatened & easily death anxiety triggered brain, falsely believes it is invincible and will live forever. It continually attempts to ward off thoughts of death that are non-consciously triggered by uncertainty and confusion.

  18. @tesoroart1825

    August 12, 2025 at 9:27 pm

    The stage backdrop at TEDxLondon, with a design placed in the center that resembles the Japanese Rising Sun flag, was used by the Japanese military during World War II. In many parts of East Asia, it is associated with Japan’s imperial history and wartime actions, and is considered offensive by some. I found it surprising to see here

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CNET

Google DeepMind Demos Gemini Robotics 2 Doing Household Chores, and We Can’t Wait for the Future!

Google DeepMind released a series of videos demonstrating Gemini Robotics 2 utilizing the Apptronik Apollo 2 Humanoid Robot working alongside the Franka F3 Duo Dual-Arm System robot, and it looks like I won’t be doing too many household chores in the near future. You can read more about Google DeepMind on CNET.com Google DeepMind Will…

Published

on

Google DeepMind released a series of videos demonstrating Gemini Robotics 2 utilizing the Apptronik Apollo 2 Humanoid Robot working alongside the Franka F3 Duo Dual-Arm System robot, and it looks like I won’t be doing too many household chores in the near future.

You can read more about Google DeepMind on CNET.com
Google DeepMind Will Train AI Models on the MMORPG Eve Online

0:00 Apollo Intro
0:07 Apollo putting away items in specific places
0:56 Gemini Robotics 2 Multi-Robot Collaboration
1:07 Duo’s Dual-Arm System putting away tools
2:04 Apollo’s Intelligent Whole Body Control
3:34 Apollo’s Advanced Dexterity

Video Credits
Producer/Editor: Stephen Beacham
Source:

Add CNET as a trusted news source
Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉
Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront:
Subscribe to CNET on YouTube:
Follow us on TikTok:
Follow us on Instagram:
Follow us on Bluesky:
Like us on Facebook:
CNET’s AI Atlas:
Follow us on X:
Visit CNET.com:

#google #ai #googledeepmind #robot #robotics #machinelearning

Continue Reading

Science & Technology

Why SeatGeek walked away from going public with Jack Groetzinger

SeatGeek didn’t become one of the biggest names in ticketing by following the playbook. It started as a simple ticket search engine on the TechCrunch 50 stage () (now known as TechCrunch Battlefield) and took on the industry’s massive incumbents by expanding its vision, surviving industry-defining challenges, and convincing investors that even a monopoly could…

Published

on

SeatGeek didn’t become one of the biggest names in ticketing by following the playbook. It started as a simple ticket search engine on the TechCrunch 50 stage () (now known as TechCrunch Battlefield) and took on the industry’s massive incumbents by expanding its vision, surviving industry-defining challenges, and convincing investors that even a monopoly could be disrupted.

In this episode of Build Mode () , host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Jack Groetzinger, co-founder and CEO of SeatGeek, to unpack the company’s 17-year journey from startup to industry leader. Jack shares how SeatGeek raised nearly $400 million in venture capital, why he believes founders should think about expanding rather than pivoting, what it was like fundraising during the COVID-19 shutdown of live events, and why the company ultimately walked away from its planned SPAC. () He also explains how founders can convince investors to back them against an entrenched incumbent, why your first hires define your company’s future, and how AI is reshaping the future of live entertainment and ticketing.

They get into:

Why SeatGeek chose to compete with Ticketmaster and how investors evaluated that opportunity

How SeatGeek survived COVID and closed its hardest fundraising round during the pandemic

Why passionate customers can become your best fundraising asset

The hiring mistakes Jack wishes he could undo and why your first employees shape company culture

How AI is transforming ticketing, live entertainment, and the fan experience

Jack Groetzinger’s advice for founders building companies that challenge established incumbents

Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ () Apple Podcasts⁠ () , ⁠Spotify⁠ () , or⁠ () wherever you like to listen⁠ () . And watch the full videos on⁠ () YouTube⁠ () . New episodes of ⁠Build Mode⁠ () drop every Thursday. 

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro: How Startups Enter Nvidia’s Orbit

01:20 – Meet Sydney Sykes: From NEA to Lightspeed to Nvidia

03:18 – What Sydney Does as Nvidia’s VC Alliances Lead

04:20 – The AI Trends Nvidia Is Watching Across Verticals

07:47 – How Startups Can Enter the Nvidia Orbit

10:34 – What Nvidia’s “Stamp of Approval” Actually Looks Like

12:56 – How Startups Get Noticed by Corporates (Beyond Nvidia)

15:18 – Does a Corporate Stamp Move VCs to Write Checks?

19:41 – Access, Black VC, and Gatekeeping in Venture Capital

30:20 – Procurement vs. Corporate VC vs. Traditional VC, Explained

38:28 – Final Advice for Founders Chasing Corporate Partnerships

Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams. 

Continue Reading

Science & Technology

SeatGeek Beat the Odds: Raising $400M, Surviving COVID & Competing with Ticketmaster l Build Mode

SeatGeek didn’t become one of the biggest names in ticketing by following the playbook. It started as a simple ticket search engine on the TechCrunch 50 stage (now known as TechCrunch Battlefield) and took on the industry’s massive incumbents by expanding its vision, surviving industry-defining challenges, and convincing investors that even a monopoly could be…

Published

on

SeatGeek didn’t become one of the biggest names in ticketing by following the playbook. It started as a simple ticket search engine on the TechCrunch 50 stage (now known as TechCrunch Battlefield) and took on the industry’s massive incumbents by expanding its vision, surviving industry-defining challenges, and convincing investors that even a monopoly could be disrupted.

In this episode of Build Mode, host and Startup Battlefield lead Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Jack Groetzinger, co-founder and CEO of SeatGeek, to unpack the company’s 17-year journey from startup to industry leader. Jack shares how SeatGeek raised nearly $400 million in venture capital, why he believes founders should think about expanding rather than pivoting, what it was like fundraising during the COVID-19 shutdown of live events, and why the company ultimately walked away from its planned SPAC. He also explains how founders can convince investors to back them against an entrenched incumbent, why your first hires define your company’s future, and how AI is reshaping the future of live entertainment and ticketing.

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: How SeatGeek Took on Ticketmaster
01:09 – From Startup Battlefield to Building SeatGeek
04:03 – Finding Product-Market Fit in a Broken Ticketing Industry
05:54 – Why SeatGeek Expanded Instead of Pivoting
07:14 – Raising Nearly $400M and Surviving the Hardest Fundraise During COVID
10:46 – Why SeatGeek Walked Away from Its SPAC IPO
13:57 – How to Raise Money Against a Monopoly Like Ticketmaster
17:02 – The Hiring Mistakes That Nearly Hurt SeatGeek’s Culture
19:08 – How AI Will Transform Live Entertainment and Ticketing
22:19 – Regulation, Competition, and Jack Groetzinger’s Advice for Founders

Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

Continue Reading

Trending