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Lisa Dyson: A forgotten Space Age technology could change how we grow food
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We're heading for a world population of 10 billion people -- but what will we all eat? Lisa Dyson rediscovered an idea developed by NASA in the 1960s for deep-space travel, and it could be a key to reinventing how we grow food.
Lisa Dyson - Sustainability crusader
Lisa Dyson thinks a new class of crops might help us reinvent agriculture -- and feed the world. Full bio
Lisa Dyson thinks a new class of crops might help us reinvent agriculture -- and feed the world. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
Imagine you are a part
of a crew of astronauts
of a crew of astronauts
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traveling to Mars or some distant planet.
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The travel time could take a year
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or even longer.
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The space on board and the resources
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would be limited.
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So you and the crew would have
to figure out how to produce food
to figure out how to produce food
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with minimal inputs.
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What if you could bring with you
just a few packets of seeds,
just a few packets of seeds,
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and grow crops in a matter of hours?
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And what if those crops
would then make more seeds,
would then make more seeds,
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enabling you to feed the entire crew
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with just those few packets of seeds
for the duration of the trip?
for the duration of the trip?
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Well, the scientists at NASA actually
figured out a way to do this.
figured out a way to do this.
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What they came up with
was actually quite interesting.
was actually quite interesting.
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It involved microorganisms,
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which are single-celled organisms.
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And they also used hydrogen from water.
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The types of microbes that they used
were called hydrogenotrophs,
were called hydrogenotrophs,
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and with these hydrogenotrophs,
you can create a virtuous carbon cycle
you can create a virtuous carbon cycle
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that would sustain life
onboard a spacecraft.
onboard a spacecraft.
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Astronauts would breathe out
carbon dioxide,
carbon dioxide,
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that carbon dioxide would then
be captured by the microbes
be captured by the microbes
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and converted into a nutritious,
carbon-rich crop.
carbon-rich crop.
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The astronauts would then eat
that carbon-rich crop
that carbon-rich crop
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and exhale the carbon out
in the form of carbon dioxide,
in the form of carbon dioxide,
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which would then be captured
by the microbes,
by the microbes,
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to create a nutritious crop,
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which then would be exhaled
in the form of carbon dioxide
in the form of carbon dioxide
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by the astronauts.
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So in this way, a closed-loop
carbon cycle is created.
carbon cycle is created.
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So why is this important?
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We need carbon to survive as humans,
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and we get our carbon from food.
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On a long space journey,
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you simply wouldn't be able to pick up
any carbon along the way,
any carbon along the way,
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so you'd have to figure out
how to recycle it on board.
how to recycle it on board.
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This is a clever solution, right?
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But the thing is, that research
didn't really go anywhere.
didn't really go anywhere.
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We haven't yet gone to Mars.
We haven't yet gone to another planet.
We haven't yet gone to another planet.
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And this was actually done
in the '60s and '70s.
in the '60s and '70s.
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So a colleague of mine,
Dr. John Reed, and I,
Dr. John Reed, and I,
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were interested, actually,
in carbon recycling here on Earth.
in carbon recycling here on Earth.
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We wanted to come up
with technical solutions
with technical solutions
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to address climate change.
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And we discovered this research
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by reading some papers published
in the '60s -- 1967 and later --
in the '60s -- 1967 and later --
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articles about this work.
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And we thought it was a really good idea.
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So we said, well, Earth
is actually like a spaceship.
is actually like a spaceship.
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We have limited space
and limited resources,
and limited resources,
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and on Earth, we really do
need to figure out
need to figure out
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how to recycle our carbon better.
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So we had the idea,
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can we take some of these
NASA-type ideas and apply them
NASA-type ideas and apply them
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to our carbon problem here on Earth?
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Could we cultivate
these NASA-type microbes
these NASA-type microbes
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in order to make
valuable products here on Earth?
valuable products here on Earth?
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We started a company to do it.
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And in that company, we discovered
that these hydrogenotrophs --
that these hydrogenotrophs --
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which I'll actually call
nature's supercharged carbon recyclers --
nature's supercharged carbon recyclers --
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we found that they are a powerful
class of microbes
class of microbes
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that had been largely overlooked
and understudied,
and understudied,
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and that they could make
some really valuable products.
some really valuable products.
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So we began cultivating these products,
these microbes, in our lab.
these microbes, in our lab.
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We found that we can make
essential amino acids from carbon dioxide
essential amino acids from carbon dioxide
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using these microbes.
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And we even made a protein-rich meal
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that has an amino acid profile
similar to what you might find
similar to what you might find
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in some animal proteins.
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We began cultivating them even further,
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and we found that we can make oil.
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Oils are used to manufacture
many products.
many products.
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We made an oil that was similar
to a citrus oil,
to a citrus oil,
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which can be used for flavoring
and for fragrances,
and for fragrances,
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but it also can be used
as a biodegradable cleaner
as a biodegradable cleaner
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or even as a jet fuel.
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And we made an oil
that's similar to palm oil.
that's similar to palm oil.
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Palm oil is used to manufacture
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a wide range of consumer
and industrial goods.
and industrial goods.
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We began working with manufacturers
to scale up this technology,
to scale up this technology,
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and we're currently working with them
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to bring some of these products to market.
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We believe this type of technology
can indeed help us
can indeed help us
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profitably recycle carbon dioxide
into valuable products --
into valuable products --
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something that's beneficial
for the planet
for the planet
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but also beneficial for business.
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That's what we're doing today.
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But tomorrow, this type of technology
and using these types of microbes
and using these types of microbes
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actually could help us
do something even greater
do something even greater
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if we take it to the next level.
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We believe that this type of technology
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can actually help us address
an issue with agriculture
an issue with agriculture
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and allow us to create
a type of agriculture that's sustainable,
a type of agriculture that's sustainable,
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that will allow us to scale
to meet the demands of tomorrow.
to meet the demands of tomorrow.
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And why might we need
a sustainable agriculture?
a sustainable agriculture?
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Well, actually, it is estimated
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that the population will reach
about 10 billion by 2050,
about 10 billion by 2050,
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and we're projecting that we will need
to increase food production
to increase food production
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by 70 percent.
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In addition, we will need many more
resources and raw materials
resources and raw materials
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to make consumer goods
and industrial goods.
and industrial goods.
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So how will we scale to meet that demand?
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Well, modern agriculture simply cannot
sustainably scale to meet that demand.
sustainably scale to meet that demand.
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There are a number of reasons why.
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One of them is that modern agriculture
is one of the largest emitters
is one of the largest emitters
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of greenhouse gases.
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In fact, it emits more greenhouse gases
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than our cars, our trucks, our planes
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and our trains combined.
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Another reason is that modern ag
simply takes up a whole lot of land.
simply takes up a whole lot of land.
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We have cleared 19.4 million square miles
for crops and livestock.
for crops and livestock.
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What does that look like?
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Well, that's roughly the size
of South America and Africa combined.
of South America and Africa combined.
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Let me give you a specific example.
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In Indonesia, an amount
of virgin rainforest was cleared
of virgin rainforest was cleared
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totaling the size
of approximately Ireland,
of approximately Ireland,
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between 2000 and 2012.
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Just think of all
of the species, the diversity,
of the species, the diversity,
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that was removed in the process,
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whether plant life, insects
or animal life.
or animal life.
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And a natural carbon sink
was also removed.
was also removed.
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So let me make this real for you.
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This clearing happened primarily
to make room for palm plantations.
to make room for palm plantations.
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And as I mentioned before,
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palm oil is used
to manufacture many products.
to manufacture many products.
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In fact, it is estimated
that over 50 percent of consumer products
that over 50 percent of consumer products
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are manufactured using palm oil.
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And that includes things
like ice cream, cookies ...
like ice cream, cookies ...
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It includes cooking oils.
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It also includes detergents,
lotions, soaps.
lotions, soaps.
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You and I both
probably have numerous items
probably have numerous items
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in our kitchens and our bathrooms
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that were manufactured using palm oil.
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So you and I are direct beneficiaries
of removed rainforests.
of removed rainforests.
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Modern ag has some problems,
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and we need solutions
if we want to scale sustainably.
if we want to scale sustainably.
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I believe that microbes
can be a part of the answer --
can be a part of the answer --
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specifically, these supercharged
carbon recyclers.
carbon recyclers.
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These supercharged carbon recyclers,
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like plants, serve as
the natural recyclers
the natural recyclers
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in their ecosystems where they thrive.
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And they thrive in exotic places on Earth,
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like hydrothermal vents and hot springs.
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In those ecosystems,
they take carbon and recycle it
they take carbon and recycle it
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into the nutrients needed
for those ecosystems.
for those ecosystems.
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And they're rich in nutrients,
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such as oils and proteins,
minerals and carbohydrates.
minerals and carbohydrates.
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And actually, microbes are already
an integral part of our everyday lives.
an integral part of our everyday lives.
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If you enjoy a glass of pinot noir
on a Friday night,
on a Friday night,
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after a long, hard work week,
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then you are enjoying
a product of microbes.
a product of microbes.
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If you enjoy a beer
from your local microbrewery --
from your local microbrewery --
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a product of microbes.
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Or bread, or cheese, or yogurt.
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These are all products of microbes.
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But the beauty and power associated
with these supercharged carbon recyclers
with these supercharged carbon recyclers
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lies in the fact that they can
actually produce in a matter of hours
actually produce in a matter of hours
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versus months.
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That means we can make crops
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much faster than we're making them today.
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They grow in the dark,
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so they can grow in any season
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and in any geography and any location.
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They can grow in containers
that require minimal space.
that require minimal space.
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And we can get to a type
of vertical agriculture.
of vertical agriculture.
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Instead of our traditional
horizontal agriculture
horizontal agriculture
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that requires so much land,
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we can scale vertically,
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and as a result
produce much more product per area.
produce much more product per area.
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If we implement this type of approach
and use these carbon recyclers,
and use these carbon recyclers,
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then we wouldn't have to remove
any more rainforests
any more rainforests
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to make the food and the goods
that we consume.
that we consume.
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Because, at a large scale,
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you can actually make 10,000 times
more output per land area
more output per land area
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than you could -- for instance,
if you used soybeans --
if you used soybeans --
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if you planted soybeans
on that same area of land
on that same area of land
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over a period of a year.
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Ten thousand times
over a period of a year.
over a period of a year.
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So this is what I mean
by a new type of agriculture.
by a new type of agriculture.
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And this is what I mean
by developing a system
by developing a system
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that allows us to sustainably scale
to meet the demands of 10 billion.
to meet the demands of 10 billion.
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And what would be the products
of this new type of agriculture?
of this new type of agriculture?
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Well, we've already made a protein meal,
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so you can imagine something
similar to a soybean meal,
similar to a soybean meal,
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or even cornmeal, or wheat flour.
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We've already made oils,
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so you can imagine something
similar to coconut oil
similar to coconut oil
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or olive oil or soybean oil.
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So this type of crop can
actually produce the nutrients
actually produce the nutrients
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that would give us pasta and bread,
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cakes, nutritional items of many sorts.
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Furthermore, since oil is used
to manufacture multiple other goods,
to manufacture multiple other goods,
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industrial products and consumer products,
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you can imagine being able to make
detergents, soaps, lotions, etc.,
detergents, soaps, lotions, etc.,
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using these types of crops.
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Not only are we running out of space,
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but if we continue to operate
under the status quo
under the status quo
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with modern agriculture,
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we run the risk of robbing our progeny
of a beautiful planet.
of a beautiful planet.
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But it doesn't have to be this way.
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We can imagine a future of abundance.
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Let us create systems that keep
planet Earth, our spaceship,
planet Earth, our spaceship,
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not only from not crashing,
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but let us also develop systems
and ways of living
and ways of living
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that will be beneficial
to the lives of ourselves
to the lives of ourselves
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and the 10 billion that will
be on this planet by 2050.
be on this planet by 2050.
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Thank you very much.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Lisa Dyson - Sustainability crusaderLisa Dyson thinks a new class of crops might help us reinvent agriculture -- and feed the world.
Why you should listen
Dr. Lisa Dyson is the CEO of Kiverdi, a technology company with a mission to develop innovations that go beyond traditional agriculture to help us feed and power a growing world, one that will include 3 billion more people by 2050. Kiverdi's bio-process uses natural microbes to convert CO2 into the proteins and oils that are the same as the ones we use today for sustenance and to power industry.
Dyson holds a PhD in physics from MIT and has done research in bioengineering, energy and physics at Stanford University, UC Berkeley and Princeton University, among others. She was a Fulbright Scholar at the Imperial College London in the United Kingdom, where she received a master of science, and has degrees in physics and mathematics from Brandeis University.
Dyson has broad business experience developing corporate strategies in a number of industries including in chemicals, packaging, energy, automotive, telecommunications and non-profits. While at The Boston Consulting Group, Dyson worked with executives at multi-national corporations to help them solve strategic business problems including cutting operational costs, expanding internationally, franchising, developing governance structures, designing effective organizations and developing market entry strategies.
Lisa Dyson | Speaker | TED.com