logo
episode-header-image
Sep 19
13m 1s

How to build in space for life on Earth ...

TED Tech
About this episode

Is space the “final frontier” — or the perfect place to revolutionize life on Earth? Space architect Ariel Ekblaw reveals how self-assembling structures could build orbiting real estate in space dedicated to solving humanity’s greatest dilemmas on Earth, leading to scientific and medical breakthroughs only possible in zero gravity.

Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:

TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou

TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna

TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 3
Inside a dark web kill list | Carl Miller
Who pays for an assassin on the internet? Dark web researcher Carl Miller spent years tracking down the answer to this question. In this chilling talk, he shares how he uncovered real kill orders placed online by seemingly ordinary individuals — and gives an unsettling look at wh ... Show More
16m 25s
Sep 26
Interview: The plant-based coating that is eliminating food spoilage | Jenny Du
If food waste were a country, it’d be the third highest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions after China and the US, says Apeel Senior VP of Operations Jenny Du. Following her talk at TED2025, Du sits down for a conversation with host Sherrell Dorsey on how her lab is creating pla ... Show More
20m 51s
Sep 12
The AI revolution is underhyped | Eric Schmidt
The arrival of non-human intelligence is a very big deal, says former Google CEO and chairman Eric Schmidt. In a wide-ranging interview with technologist Bilawal Sidhu, Schmidt makes the case that AI is wildly underhyped, as near-constant breakthroughs give rise to systems capabl ... Show More
29m 51s
Recommended Episodes
May 2025
How to build in space for life on Earth | Ariel Ekblaw
Is space the “final frontier” — or the perfect place to revolutionize life on Earth? Space architect Ariel Ekblaw reveals how self-assembling structures could build orbiting real estate in space dedicated to solving humanity’s greatest dilemmas on Earth, leading to scientific and ... Show More
12m 16s
May 2025
Beyond the Talk: Ariel Ekblaw in conversation with TED Talks Daily
"We should be protecting the Earth — and we can use space technology to do that," says aerospace architect Ariel Ekblaw. Following her talk at TED2025, Ekblaw sat down for a special conversation with Elise Hu, host of TED Talks Daily, to discuss how space-based technology can imp ... Show More
21m 47s
Aug 2024
NASA Says It Could Tap SpaceX to Complete Starliner Mission
A.M. Edition for August 8. NASA confirms it’s considering using Elon Musk’s space company to bring two astronauts back from the International Space Station. The WSJ’s Micah Maidenberg says that would be a tough blow for Boeing, whose Starliner craft has run into issues. Plus, thr ... Show More
13m 37s
Apr 2024
Is Space Exploration Worth the Cost?
Join us on another enlightening clip of Earn Your Leisure, where we engage in a thought-provoking discussion about the true value of space exploration. In this clip, #EYL hosts Rashad Bilal, Troy Millings, and guest Aisha Bowe, a former NASA STEM advocate, unravel the mysteries b ... Show More
8m 29s
Aug 2024
Space Policy Edition: Do we need a philosophy of space exploration?
Why do we explore space? This is not an easy question to answer. Yet policy expert G. Ryan Faith believes there is value to be had in communal engagement with this question. While easy answers may elude us, the act of defining our values and goals in space can help avoid common p ... Show More
1h 8m
Jun 2011
So You Want To Be An Astronaut?
Robin Ince and Brian Cox are joined by comedian Helen Keen ("It is Rocket Science") and space medicine expert Dr Kevin Fong, to discuss the future of human space travel. As NASA's space shuttle program comes to a close, what does the future hold in terms of humans bid to leave th ... Show More
28 m
Nov 2024
EELS: AI-enabled snake robots and the search for life on Enceladus
Morgan Cable and Hiro Ono from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory join Planetary Radio to discuss the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS) robot concept, a snake-like AI-enabled device designed to navigate the vents of Enceladus. This technology could tell us more about the habit ... Show More
1h 2m
Sep 2023
Subsurface oceans: The hidden potential of Earth-like exoplanets
Lujendra Ojha, assistant professor at Rutgers University, joins Planetary Radio to discuss how subsurface liquid water on exoplanets orbiting red dwarf stars could increase the likelihood of finding habitable worlds beyond our Solar System. Then we check in with Bruce Betts, chie ... Show More
50m 28s
May 2020
Space Policy Edition: Our Moral Obligation to Explore Space
Are we morally obligated to pursue space exploration? What ethical considerations should we consider when creating space policy? Philosopher James Schwartz joins the show to address these questions and talk about his new book, The Value of Science in Space Exploration. Learn more ... Show More
1h 11m