Episode notes
Landfills across African cities are catching fire and releasing methane, an invisible greenhouse gas with more short-term warming potential than CO2. Sustainable strategist Mohamed A. Sultan reveals how local communities are turning this crisis into opportunity, diverting hundreds of tons of waste from landfills and helping thousands of farmers adopt more sustainable techniques. Learn why cutting methane emissions is a win-win opportunity to drive down global temperatures while also creating more livable cities. (This ambitious idea is part of The Audacious Project, TED’s initiative to…
Podcast
TED Tech
TED Tech · Tech & Science · English
From the construction of virtual realities to the internet of things to the watches on our wrists—technology's influence is everywhere. Its role in our lives is evolving fast, and we're faced with riveting questions and tough challenges that sit at the intersection of technology and humanity. Listen
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31 Jul 2026 · 28 min
The hidden health benefits of wearables technology with Michael Snyder
Michael Snyder is a professor and genomicist who wears eight pieces of wearable technology every day: four smartwatches, two rings, and two hearing aids. These devices give him a personal data dashboard to help him understand his health in real time. In this interview, Michael joins Sherrell to discuss how wearables can help you identify health conditions, from irregular heartbeats to a COVID-19 exposure, to even which food triggers your glucose spike. The two also talk about why everyone should wear a CGM (continuous glucose monitor), how wearing wearables can help you stay more accountable…
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24 Jul 2026 · 12 min
Sherrell's Top 5 (#1): How we built Watch Duty, the lifesaving wildfire alert app with John Mills
After finding himself alone in an unreported wildfire in the woodlands of California, John Mills decided to take matters into his own hands. Hear the incredible story of how he rallied fire survivors and retired first responders to create Watch Duty, the nonprofit emergency alert system that’s beating official government warnings and buying people precious minutes to escape danger. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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24 Jul 2026 · 13 min
Sherrell's Top 5 (#2): Inside India's astonishing solar revolution with Kanika Chawla
In 2014, the world’s second largest coal consumer made a bold promise: to increase its solar capacity from three gigawatts to 100 gigawatts in just eight years. Many people called it overly ambitious, but energy expert Kanika Chawla saw the opportunity of a lifetime. She tells the story of how India became a solar powerhouse, turning an expensive dream into an economic reality — and creating a model for other countries to follow suit. After, Sherrell reflects on what drives the green economy and the growth strategy other companies can follow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
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24 Jul 2026 · 24 min
Sherrell's Top 5 (#3): How one of China’s biggest tech companies is tackling carbon removal with Xu Hao
Tencent is one of China’s biggest tech companies, running the popular Chinese messaging app WeChat and the world’s largest video game vendor. Now, it’s also an up-and-coming force in the field of carbon removal. Xu Hao, the vice president of Sustainable Social Value at Tencent, oversees two of those initiatives: the Carbon Neutrality Lab and CarbonX. He sits down with Sherrell Dorsey, host of the “TED Tech” podcast, to talk about how megacorporation can help advance the climate movement. He also explores the current state of carbon removal technology and how Tencent’s video games are…
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24 Jul 2026 · 10 min
Sherrell's Top 5 (#4): The multidimensional magic of modern maps | Peter Wilczynski
Maps have long helped us understand the world — now, they can help us shape it. Digital cartographer Peter Wilczynski introduces the Living Globe: a real-time, data-rich digital twin of Earth that fuses satellite imagery, sensor data and AI. Watch for a glimpse of the future of maps — and learn how these new tools can help us build the future without wrecking the planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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17 Jul 2026 · 20 min
How to power the world – and accelerate clean energy with Kimiko Hirata
How much electricity does humanity use? And how can we ensure that the energy we need in the future is also clean? In this episode, Sherrell shares two talks on how one climate advocate in Japan is convincing the country to adopt renewable energy, and a TED-Ed lesson that dives into the complex systems required to power the world. Talks featured A cheat sheet for accelerating clean energy | Kimiko Hirata How much electricity is needed to power the world? | TED Ed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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10 Jul 2026 · 23 min
How to pick the right path forward with AI with Alvin W. Graylin and Manoush Zomorodi
“Entry-level hiring has collapsed — because Agentic AI is now doing the work that used to train junior developers, researchers, and analysts,” says TED Tech host Sherrell Dorsey. In this episode, Sherrell shares two talks on the future of AI. First, Alvin W. Graylin is in conversation with TED Radio Hour host Manoush Zomorodi at TED Next 2025 on the policies that can help people whose jobs are threatened by AI. Then dive into a TED-Ed lesson on technological inventions throughout the centuries and AI impact on humanity’s future. Talks featured 3 possible futures for AI — which will we…
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3 Jul 2026 · 47 min
Is your electric bill about to go up? with Asim Z. Haque
The grid powering millions of homes and businesses on the East Coast was never built to handle the surging demand from data centers and the AI boom. So what happens when the system designed to carry that load starts falling behind and consumers start seeing rate hikes? In this miniseries finale, Sherrell sits down with Asim Z. Haque, Senior Vice President of Governmental & Member Services at PJM Interconnection, to talk about the state of our energy infrastructure. Then after the interview, Sherrell shares a talk from Varun Sivaram on how AI can scale responsibly and help solve the energy…
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26 Jun 2026 · 34 min
Power Without a Playbook with Kristen Gonzalez
With data centers popping up throughout the country, what does accountability look like for local governments? In this episode, Sherrell is in conversation with New York State Senator Kristen Gonzalez discussing the role policy can play in the development –or lack thereof– of data center construction. Afterwards, stick around for a talk from Sasha Luccioni on the alternative AI models that could make technology smarter, fairer and more sustainable. Talk featured We're Doing AI All Wrong. Here's How to Get It Right | Sasha Luccioni Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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19 Jun 2026 · 39 min
What does the Cloud drink? with Sarah Houston
Every time you run an AI query, a pump turns on somewhere. In Memphis, Tennessee, that pump draws from one of the purest aquifers in the world. That same water supply is already threatened by a century of industrial pollution. Community organizer Sarah Houston shares what xAI's five-million-gallon-a-day habit is costing the communities closest to Colossus. Then, a talk from Ayşe Coskun on who pays the price when development comes to town. Talk featured The Story You're Not Hearing About AI Data Centers | Ayşe Coskun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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