By 
Martin Rees
 | 
TED Stage Talk

Is this our final century?

Speaking as both an astronomer and "a concerned member of the human race," Sir Martin Rees examines our planet and its future from a cosmic perspective. He urges action to prevent dark consequences from our scientific and technological development.

Related tags:

astronomy
climate change
science
social change
technology
time
universe
TED is supported by ads and partners

Watch next

5:28
Luka Seamus Wright
The sharks that hunt in forests
3:35
Jen Gunter
Why healthy bones are about so much more than milk
5:07
Susan M. Reverby
Ugly History: The US syphilis experiment
5:02
Jen Gunter
What really happens to your body during menopause
4:03
Nina G. Jablonski
Why do we have hair in such random places?
4:11
Jen Gunter
Why you shouldn't worry about pooping once a day
4:25
Philip Renaud and Kenneth Kostel
Could you survive the real Twilight Zone?
4:59
Alex Gendler
The woman who stared at the sun
5:19
Aaron Morris
The future diagnostic lab ... inside your body
5:56
Brittany Young
How dirt bikes and STEM ignite ingenuity in Baltimore
6:24
Katie Mack
The death of the universe -- and what it means for life
5:57
Bianca Tylek
The multibillion-dollar US prison industry -- and how to dismantle it
4:21
Jen Gunter
Why you don't need 8 glasses of water a day
5:02
Masako Tamaki
Can you be awake and asleep at the same time?
5:38
Greg Foot
Should you donate your DNA to help cure diseases?
5:15
Rumaitha Al Busaidi
Women and girls, you are part of the climate solution
4:43
Sara C. Mednick
How long should your naps be?
4:44
Rebecca J. Barthelmie and Sara C. Pryor
How do wind turbines work?