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How synthetic biology can improve our health, food and materials | Emily Leproust

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. What if we could use biology to restore our balance with nature without giving up modern creature comforts? Advocating for a new kind of environmentalism, scientist and entrepreneur Emily Leproust rethinks modern sustainability at the molecular level, using synthetic…

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What if we could use biology to restore our balance with nature without giving up modern creature comforts? Advocating for a new kind of environmentalism, scientist and entrepreneur Emily Leproust rethinks modern sustainability at the molecular level, using synthetic biology to create green alternatives. From lab-developed insulin and disease-resistant bananas to airplanes made of super-strong spider silk, she explains how reading and writing DNA can lead to groundbreaking innovations in health, food and materials.

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56 Comments

56 Comments

  1. josh656

    April 7, 2021 at 4:42 pm

    YOU WILL EAT THE BUGS AND OWN NOTHING

  2. reach communications

    April 7, 2021 at 4:47 pm

    I want to trust and believe in what your saying but you tube has made the present and past ever more tangible. There is a lot of crazy stuff going on in the world thanks to science and its exploitative/good nature. Watch a documentary or too? Oh wait your not really asking for my permission. fart burp…….

  3. Pug Nacious

    April 7, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    Funny how this pops up when Mrna “experimental” gene therapy is being done in the guise of a vax. All the while Gates is pushing for synthetic/fake meat. Nothing to see here, move along …. Baaaa, Baaaa, Baaaa, … how about TEST it and do trials 1st? Just saying.

  4. am432

    April 7, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    but there are ethical issues too

    • bruno ramirez

      April 7, 2021 at 6:01 pm

      like which ones?(Is just a question,I really want to know)

    • am432

      April 7, 2021 at 6:57 pm

      @bruno ramirez not everyone would be comfortable with the idea of interfering with nature and genetics and there is also controversy of long term health complications that could occur as a result of eating GM crops

  5. ikkedansk

    April 7, 2021 at 4:54 pm

    TALK CLEAR ENGLISH DAMN FROGGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. Not Me

    April 7, 2021 at 4:54 pm

    read the story “The Mound” to understand the end state of synthetic biology

  7. Сагитова Регина

    April 7, 2021 at 5:07 pm

    a human being, dressed like a woman, but with a voice like a man…

  8. James Kulevich

    April 7, 2021 at 5:18 pm

    This channel is a big joke. Only worth watching for a laugh. Even the positive comments on here are made by PROGRAMED ROBOTS

  9. dJ Vando

    April 7, 2021 at 5:56 pm

    who nature want to kill? liers lawyers traitors. next question.

  10. Sean falls

    April 7, 2021 at 6:00 pm

    Nature is already perfect, leave it the f alone.

    • K. M.

      April 7, 2021 at 7:40 pm

      I don’t think this dude would agree with your sentiments here.

    • GOLEM

      April 7, 2021 at 10:29 pm

      nature is perfect? hahaa

  11. Ana R

    April 7, 2021 at 6:46 pm

    But this is not for Elite, right? Only for slaves?

  12. Daniele x

    April 7, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    Nice talk.
    She is the CEO and founder from Twist Bioscience (TWST)… Keep going!

  13. Reventlov

    April 7, 2021 at 7:38 pm

    Cure tinnitus pls.

  14. Vyacheslav Ushakov

    April 7, 2021 at 7:46 pm

    Слово и дело @

  15. Le Nob

    April 7, 2021 at 8:32 pm

    Wow, this person’s accent 🧐

  16. erkanaga

    April 7, 2021 at 8:43 pm

    Nice adams apple dude

  17. Ariana Rodriguez Egas

    April 7, 2021 at 8:51 pm

    Thank you, I will love to live in a sustainable planet.

  18. Frank Delahue

    April 7, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    wth?

    • Ray B

      April 8, 2021 at 4:25 am

      ikr?!

  19. Sean Kirkland

    April 7, 2021 at 9:31 pm

    This is hands down my favorite talk. Do it because you should, but also so nature won’t kill you.

  20. Lillea Teja Ellisian

    April 7, 2021 at 10:48 pm

    Global toxic mainstream narrative being displayed at its finest here. And sadly, the people will only be fooled further. There is nothing the human minds through their synthetic engineering can do better than how nature has done it for billions of years. The evil in control are foolish for thinking they can replace that with their own limited mindscope, and then brainwash the world for believing this is the new normal. It’s absolutely an exciting idea, yet truly a failing one that will never sustain itself; only create deep deception and long-term destruction leading to global death and genocide. Nature will always rule, so let it take its course Mam. Get out of its way already. Manipulating human genes and DNA without any trials or testing isn’t a V a X, it’s the path towards global control and free will collapse. For the rest of you innocent people feeling helpless, know you’re not. And you have full control and sovereignty over your body and health as you choose what goes in and out of it. Let no one, ever, manipulate you into thinking a forced jab will be your answer into gaining access to the basic fundamental human rights. Live in love and light, always. Blessings ~

  21. wbrito8617

    April 7, 2021 at 11:17 pm

    On the path to Peace

  22. GuitarZombie

    April 8, 2021 at 12:11 am

    I would rather die

  23. Black Butterfly

    April 8, 2021 at 12:57 am

    Some things sound okay but I’m still more concerned about the effect this would’ve on the ecosystem. For an example, wiping mosquitos out would definitely NOT be a good thing for the environment. Improving lives of the humans isn’t worth destroying the planet further in any way and we cannot foresee the consequences of some things mentioned in the video

  24. Black Butterfly

    April 8, 2021 at 12:57 am

    Some things sound okay but I’m still more concerned about the effect this would have on the ecosystem. For an example, wiping mosquitos out would definitely NOT be a good thing for the environment. Improving lives of the humans isn’t worth destroying the planet further in any way and we cannot foresee the consequences of some things mentioned in the video

  25. Bi Dinh

    April 8, 2021 at 3:52 am

    Her voice surprised the crap out of me.

    My opinion: we search for temporary solutions through “advancement,” but fail to accept humanity is a problem that can’t be solved.

    Nature has a solution in place. Life and death, but human behavior offsets the balance, risking mass extinction.

    War, disease, poverty, famine: Nature’s assistants.

  26. Kongolox

    April 8, 2021 at 4:09 am

    the voice…. nope!

    • Ray B

      April 8, 2021 at 4:26 am

      lmao

  27. Ray B

    April 8, 2021 at 4:28 am

    I will have to watch this on audio, the video is too distracting…

    • Ricardo Afonso

      April 8, 2021 at 10:37 am

      Ahaha, same here. Too strange

  28. Sultan Dias

    April 8, 2021 at 6:32 am

    Are you gey?

  29. Sultan Dias

    April 8, 2021 at 6:32 am

    or lesbian

  30. Nhất Thân Nguyễn

    April 8, 2021 at 6:34 am

    Hello

  31. Rebecca Mullins

    April 8, 2021 at 7:07 am

    This kinda chatter creeps me the f**k our.

  32. Ricardo Afonso

    April 8, 2021 at 10:32 am

    There’s something odd here

  33. Ricardo Afonso

    April 8, 2021 at 10:38 am

    I’m so excited about our synthetic future, can’t wait !!

    • ItsMe NoName

      April 10, 2021 at 1:25 am

      ARE YOU A ROBOT?

    • Ricardo Afonso

      April 10, 2021 at 10:51 am

      @ItsMe NoName Was being sarcastic, naturally.

  34. Jeff Coleman

    April 8, 2021 at 11:52 am

    I’ll take my Natural foods over your Synthetic foods.

  35. Julian Ioisi

    April 8, 2021 at 12:59 pm

    I’m sorry, as a non english native speaker this was quite hard to understand. Perhaps native english speakers have an easier time just dealing with the accent but I’m having to convert twice in my head and a lot gets lost.

    • Fuck Youtube

      April 8, 2021 at 9:36 pm

      I can sort of get it but yeah… don’t feel bad about your English because of this video lol. It’s like they’re trying to talk without using their tongue.

    • Amín Romero

      April 9, 2021 at 6:31 pm

      turn on captions/subtitles, it will help you

  36. Diamond Cojones

    April 8, 2021 at 5:09 pm

    Native americans just used the soil we walk on to grow crops. There was no fertilizer factories. Grow your heirloom veggies, eat, save seeds. F you, Im staying natural and healthy and its not hurting anyone in the process but big pharmas pockets. F them too. They are scared because their profits are dwindling.

  37. Janne Rasimus

    April 8, 2021 at 5:19 pm

    This sales presentation is motivated not by making a just and harmonious world, but by fear, and thus to achieve control over others; a world owned wholly by non-natural entities such as corporations and their faceless stock holders. These people will not stop until they have modified, claimed and branded every particle and compound under their control. They are looking to conquer the stars too – if they just could. Human beings are to stop listening to these delusional individuals. They do not care of your well-being by selling a naive dream of living forever – identical to what most religions do. It’s nothing but a dark fantasy. Stop making the orders and stop supporting the industrial machinery that develops only itself. Humans have only devolved and degenerated since we abandoned the original, only really sustainable hunt and gathering lifestyle. Wake up. Undeniable truth is that we cannot improve what is already perfected. The equilibrium we call nature functions just the way it should. It is not broken, or in need of fixing. It is full of amazing beauty and processes giving sustenance to all living. Fruit ripens without any human assistance – rejoice! Death is not a curse, but as essential to life as birth. Stop being afraid of the inevitable. Life can’t die. All living species automatically adapt, not only to survive, but to thrive in their ever changing natural habitats where they have seamlessly emerged into. The same is true for our kind. Human beings appeared, reached physical completion, and succeeded over all other creatures entirely by self-sustaining, natural processes. Artificial is, by definition, anti-natural, and at base level, it is the arch-enemy of all life. We are not here because of some technology – trust the natural process. Be fruitful and multiply.

  38. Janet's World

    April 8, 2021 at 6:17 pm

    How about understanding that everything is interconnected and that humans can’t just use any and everything they want for their advantage? How about understanding that the very problems we are trying to solve by going against nature, started by going against nature? Nah instead you just wanna go more synthetic. Synthetic food synthetic everything, robots, cyborgs.. Sick! All earth needs is for us to respect it instead of use. Simple but so hard for a lot of people to get

  39. Abhay Bhatt

    April 9, 2021 at 3:58 am

    Only an ignorant idiot who never lived in d tropics would think that the primary reason for eliminating biting mosquitoes through gene drives, is disease like malaria!

  40. Abhay Bhatt

    April 9, 2021 at 4:04 am

    Is he trans gender or hermaphrodite?

  41. 小故事

    April 9, 2021 at 8:25 am

  42. Esther Peppelman- Klein

    April 9, 2021 at 8:56 am

    Interesting subject but you should’ve picked another speaker tgafvspeaks more clearly

  43. Yaha

    April 11, 2021 at 10:45 am

    Agreed! Impossible only means that you haven’t found the solution yet

  44. kendall cuddles

    April 11, 2021 at 9:44 pm

    That sounds like a dude.

  45. Shakir Bio

    April 12, 2021 at 10:01 pm

    Is this man or woman? 😅

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