How a miniaturized atomic clock could revolutionize space exploration | Jill Seubert

How a miniaturized atomic clock could revolutionize space exploration | Jill Seubert

Author: TED March 5, 2020 Duration: 11:07
Ask any deep space navigator like Jill Seubert what makes steering a spacecraft difficult, and they'll tell you it's all about the timing; a split-second can decide a mission's success or failure. So what do you do when a spacecraft is bad at telling time? You get it a clock -- an atomic clock, to be precise. Let Seubert whisk you away with the revolutionary potential of a future where you could receive stellar, GPS-like directions -- no matter where you are in the universe.

Curiosity about how our bodies work and the universe functions finds a compelling home in TED Talks Science and Medicine. This curated collection pulls directly from the global stage, featuring leading researchers, pioneering physicians, and insightful thinkers who are actively reshaping their fields. Each episode is a deep, personal narrative from the person behind the discovery, moving beyond textbook summaries to share the human story of scientific pursuit. You’ll hear a neurosurgeon explain the delicate biology of consciousness, a biologist decoding the secret language of trees, or an epidemiologist tracing the path of a pandemic. The discussions are grounded in rigorous research but delivered with a clarity and passion that makes complex concepts accessible and genuinely thrilling. Sourced from flagship TED conferences, independent TEDx events, and partner gatherings worldwide, this podcast serves as a direct line to the cutting edge. It’s for anyone who finds wonder in a detailed medical breakthrough or a revolutionary physics concept, offering a regular dose of perspective on the mechanisms of life and the cosmos. TED’s nonprofit mission to spread impactful ideas is perfectly realized here, turning each listening session into an engaging, thought-provoking exploration of what we know and the vast mysteries that remain.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 133

TED Talks Science and Medicine
Podcast Episodes
The missing 96 percent of the universe | Claire Malone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:31
We've misplaced the building blocks of the cosmos -- and particle physicists like Claire Malone are on a mission to find them. Despite scientists hitting a "major snag" in uncovering what exactly makes up dark matter and…
The death of the universe -- and what it means for life | Katie Mack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:11
The universe started with a bang -- but how will it end? With astonishing visuals, cosmologist and TED Fellow Katie Mack takes us to the theoretical end of everything, some trillions of years in the future, in a profound…
The search for microscopic aliens | Sarah Rugheimer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:25
Astrophysicist and TED Fellow Sarah Rugheimer searches for aliens -- but not the cartoony green kind. She's looking for extraterrestrial microbes by studying how these single-celled organisms emit gases, which could reve…
How COVID-19 transformed the future of medicine | Daniel Kraft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:39
The pandemic forced the world to work together like never before and, with unprecedented speed, bore a new age of health and medical innovation. Physician-scientist Daniel Kraft explains how breakthroughs and advancement…
The electrical blueprints that orchestrate life | Michael Levin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:23
DNA isn't the only builder in the biological world -- there's also a mysterious bioelectric layer directing cells to work together to grow organs, systems and bodies, says biologist Michael Levin. Sharing unforgettable a…
The hidden history found in your teeth | Carolyn Freiwald [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:36
Your teeth carry secrets: centuries of history about your ancestors, from where they lived to what they ate and where they traveled. Bioarchaeologist Carolyn Freiwald traces the story of human migration across the Americ…
The promise of quantum computers | Matt Langione [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:56
What if tiny microparticles could help us solve the world's biggest problems in a matter of minutes? That's the promise -- and magic -- of quantum computers, says Matt Langione. Speaking next to an actual IBM quantum com…
A stellar history of modern astronomy | Emily Levesque [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:07
Astronomers once gazed upon the night sky and counted every star in the galaxy by hand. The process has evolved since then, but the thirst for celestial knowledge remains the same. Join astrophysicist Emily Levesque for…